happy birthday, baby girl

My dear Mia,
Happy birthday! You are 2 and you have been telling everyone who asks while holding up anywhere form 2 to 5 fingers. We came home from a visit with your grandparents in California today and when the airplane took off you looked out the window and panicked a little. You wanted down and out immediately and so I talked to you and held your hands. You clamed down quickly but wouldn’t let me move my hand from you chest. You held it with both of your hands and I felt so glad that I could comfort you so easily. You have been very attached to me lately, and while it can be exhausting, I tend to like it. I know I won’t be able to satisfy your every desire for long so I am happy to do it now.

You are such a sweet and intense little person. Your dad always says you are just like me when you are demanding and stubborn and difficult and I always nod. The thing is, he means it but he doesn’t mean it in a negative way. Our strengths and our weaknesses may be one in the same sometimes but we know what we want. Your speech has skyrocketed lately and I love how you express your understanding of the world. Your vocabulary is quite impressive with words and phrases such as reach, ceiling, sky, float, tall, meow kitty, hippo, hedge hog, red car, raisin, birds eat raisins, pop corn, hungry, stop it, get it, grab it, noooo mommy, nooo daddy, counter, shower, clean, play, build, candle. I’m sure you know literally hundreds of words but I am frequently impressed with your use of conceptual words and your clear grasp of what people are saying. Your favorite song has been Old Macdonald for months and you often drift off to sleep bellowing e i e i o. Lately you also request the alphabet by asking for “song lmmo” or “song efg” or “song adc” or, in the case of one time last week, simply “f.”

Today I held your hand to cross the street and you pulled it away and gave me a sidelong smirk. You know you have to hold our hands to cross the street but you have little interest. Melanie was with us and she said the look you gave me was one she has never seen before in the many month of caring for you. This doesn’t surprise me but it was interesting to have a confirmation that you do indeed interact differently with your parents, as I’m sure all kids do. You push us and test us and very rarely respond to the word no. This drives your dad crazy and me too to some extent but secretly I sort of like it. You have your own power and plans and you won’t let anyone get in your way.

Your relationship with Henry continues to grow. He loves to have you as an audience and sidekick and you are sometimes a willing participant. He follows your lead almost as much as you follow his. He interprets for you on occasion but sometimes he just makes up a story about what he thinks you mean. He loves you and tries to comfort you and calm you down when no one else can do the job. I love watching you really play and pretend together in the little kitchen or just rolling around and hiding under the covers together. You will continue to test each other’s patience and teach each other great lessons while making each other laugh.

It is absolutely unbelievable that you are already 2 and yet you often seem so much older. I can’t wait to see what the next year brings and get to know the little girl you are quickly becoming.