he's missing his terrible

Char.

2 looks good on you.

you're a cool little dude

and i love watching you become 

the kid you're going to be.

I don't feel sad about you growing up

because you just get more and more fun.

I think someone forgot to put the terrible into you.

about you at two.

every little brother does it

but you copy EVERYTHING that Will does.

absolutely everything.

word for word.

action for action.

scream for scream.

hit for hit.

throw for throw.

the two of you generally love each other

but got into your first brawl a couple weeks ago.

you've stopped putting up with his junk

and i think you're going to give him a run for his money.

you love most foods but have started pretending you can't hear

when i tell you you need 2 more bites of veggie before dessert.

you just quietly remove yourself from the table

go play

and then sweetly return as soon as the freezer opens.

you love to swim.

and think you're pretty awesome at it.

you prefer that i don't catch you when you jump in,

hold you when you kick and paddle

or tell you how to do a bob.

problem is you sink like a rock if i don't.

we'll keep working on it.

you wake up every morning screaming 

"maaaaa, maaaaaaaa"

with a bit of a jersey accent.

and then switch to

"daaaaa, daaaaaaaa"

when you get no response.

you then beg for juice, your bibi's, bunny and doggie.

love that morning snuggle.

your favorite show is still Curious George

but luckily (and def. not because of my parenting)

you've chilled out on your TV obsession.

your dad pointed out yesterday that your chattering

is like a constant run of your stream of consciousness. 

you talk a lot.

if you tell us you see a motorcycle or a big truck

or a ball or a bird

and we don't respond immediately

and mention what you said in that response,

you keep shouting it over and over,

louder and louder 

until we do.

ex. c: "maaaa, big truck right dere...."(split second)

"Big Truck Right Dere!!"

me: "oh yeah, char, cool"
c: "BIG TRUCK RIGHT DERE (split second), 

BIG TRUCK RIGHT DERE

Maaaa!  Big Truck Right Dere!!!"

me:  "cool, char.  you see a big purple truck over there?

c: "yeah." (end of discussion)

over and over all day.

and most days it makes me 

wanna pull out every little strand of hair on my head

kiss that loud mouth of yours.

you love chucking balls all over the house

rapid fire style.

your personality is really sweet, sweet, sweet.

i am going to have to watch myself with you

because it's easy to let you get away with things.

you're quick to apologize, sit quietly in time out

and admit when you're naughty.

not a whole lot of drama in you.

you love to scream "Bad, Mommy (Daddy, Will, etc.)"

when we do something you don't like or tell you no.

it drives me absolutely bonkers. 

and you've probably been in time out 50 times for it.

but the other day you were choking on something

and i smacked you on back to help you get it out

which apparently hurt because you looked up at me

with huge alligator tears and started bawling 

saying ":( bad, mommy :("

you and Will are obsessed with sticker books right now.

you work on them every night with your dad before bed.

you have the best run!

you kind of hop every right step.

and you swing just your right arm.

and you have the biggest gap toothed, overbite grin when you do it.

you also love to walk on narrow walkways/balance beams.

you love waffles with pb and syrup, WILL, kicking and throwing

anything, your bibi's, doggie and bunny, juice, the girls in the Y nursery,

playing with friends (esp, henry, lucy and owen), wearing everyone's shoes,

your grandparents, saying "my do it!", the kittens, mowing the grass,

the bounce house, looking for bugs, pizza, taking a shower, playing pickleball,

picking noni's not ripe yet tomatoes and throwing them,

riding your scooter, eating snacks, begging for snacks, pointing

out motorcycles, the park, reading books, fruit snacks, pirate's booty and fish

crackers, pillow fights, wrestling with dad, teriyaki chicken, balancing on the couch

and a good squeeze.

we appreciate all these little things about you Char

and we love every sweet inch!

happy, happy day to you!