Dear Anna,
You’re two and a half years old and I’m in denial that in six short
months I’ll have a three year old under my roof! I’m pretty sure that I’m living with a
pre-teen these days as you seem to be two and a half going on twelve with your
vocabulary, observations of the world, and general attitude some days. Luckily you still love to give big hugs,
kisses, and need Mommy-snuggles when you’re sad or hurt.
You are a little bit OCD (gosh, can’t imagine where you got that from)
and love to make sure things are “just so” in many situations. This includes closing doors around the house
(pantry, bathroom) on a routine basis, arranging your toys, and you’ve even
started to use a wipe, tissue or washcloth to start cleaning around the
house. Unfortunately most of this
happens when we’re in a hurry or trying to actually clean-up, but I’ve got my
fingers crossed that the actions line up with the need sooner rather than
later.
You’re talking up a storm. Full
sentences, correct tenses, plurals ... the works. It’s amazing to hear you form your thoughts
into words and although we hear a lot of “what happened?” and “why did you do
that?” we also hear a lot of declarations and original thoughts. You are pretty spot on most of the time, with
a few mixed up words that result in some pretty funny sentences. Like the other night when I was putting
Charlotte to bed and you closed the door for me (your new thing) and asked “are
you going to eat her, Mommy?” It took me
a minute, but (without laughing) I replied “she’s going to eat and I’m going to
feed her.” You just looked at me blankly
and said “Ok, Mommy, have fun eating her” and left the room.
Just because you’re a chatty girl, it doesn't mean we always like what
we hear. You’ve started to throw out the
line “because I said so,” and know exactly when to use it. Such as when I suggested Daisy was our
“Halloween cat” given her orange marking and you note that “no she’s not,
because I said so.” I almost fell out of
my chair as we ate breakfast and we’ve since heard that reasoning on MANY other
occasions. That steel trap of a mind
bites us in the rear sometimes, too, and we have to be careful with consistency
among answers to your repeated questions.
Your leisure time activities include dancing up a storm, leading a
family dance party, thinking up new dances, reading, reading and more reading,
and dressing up with your 12 purses. You
love to bust a move and routinely do so after pressing the button on any toy
that makes music. You also like to
encourage others to dance and regularly ask one of us to join you, or worse,
you make us dance by ourselves while the rest of the family watches. When you’re not dancing, you can be found
reading. You love books and you love to
read, something I hope carries you far throughout your life. You’ll plop down next to one of the
bookshelves that hold your MANY books and will entertain yourself for quite a
while. Sometimes, the stars align and I
get a few minutes of productive silence when you’re reading or entertaining
yourself AND Charlotte is doing the same, OR you’re doing it together.
You’re very aware of where I am and what I’m doing and understand what
each action means. You know that when I
leave for work it means you’re going to school, and you demand a big hug, a
little hug, and a kiss. And then again. And the same at bedtime; since I’m the only
one that is allowed to physically carry you to your crib, I get the honor of
the last hugs and kisses of the day. As
independent as you are, if you’re frustrated or scared or just need a hug or
affirmation, you certainly know I’m just a holler away, and aren’t afraid to
call. And likewise, there are special
instances where only Daddy will do and I’m relegated to being Charlotte’s
keeper. I love the special bond you have
with both of us and can’t wait to see it continue to blossom.
You’re an animal lover and we had a great time taking you to Keeneland
to watch the horses workout last month.
I haven’t seen you stand still for as long as you did trackside,
ever. You quickly figured out that the
horses were racing and cheered them on as they galloped by. You love to explore and weren’t afraid as we
approached several horses in the stalls on our way out. You still have a shy and tentative streak
about you, but with the right circumstances and encouragement, there’s no
stopping your curious mind.
I could sit and write about your sweet mannerisms, clever comebacks,
loveable personality, and kind heart for days, but it all boils down to the
fact that you’re just one of the most special people I know on this earth. Your Dad’s cousin gifted you and Charlotte a
very sweet book this past summer and I love the message. “On the night you were born” tells of how
special your arrival into the world was for so many people, and I can’t echo
those sentiments to you enough. Your arrival
in my life changed things forever, in the best possible way. You brighten my days, wear me out, challenge
me mentally and physically, but most importantly, you make everything I do
worthwhile and important, because it’s all for you. I hope you always know what a light you are
in my life, in everyone’s life you touch in this family and beyond; you are
special and wonderful and we will always rejoice that we have an Anna in our
lives.
Love,
Mom
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