Jill,

You are two years old, baby girl!  Part of me struggles to comprehend how two whole years have passed and the other part of me feels like you’re already so much older than two.  After all, you have the opinions, sass and personality of a teenager.

Oh MAN your personality has exploded in recent months.  The move was tough for you and I didn’t see that coming at all.  Having your very own room for the first time was supposed to be SO fun and instead you’d scream in your crib FOREVER each night while I tried everything (lights on, fan on, fan off, lights off, door open, door closed, more milk, stuffed animals, a new pillow, a blanket) to fix it.  Oh, when you don’t get what you want (to sleep in your brother’s new bunk bed, perhaps?), it’s painful.  It’s really, really hard to say no to you and YOU’RE TWO.

You’ve always been determined, but that determination has grown and grown over the last year.  Two months ago you just decided you were going to be potty trained.  I, of course, was no where NEAR ready for this milestone (your brother was 3 when we potty trained!) and I didn’t even want to fathom our move to Colorado with frequent/emergency bathroom stops, so I stood firm on the diapers.  Even if I haven’t fully given in and put you in the big girl underwear yet, you’re awfully cute sitting on the potty saying ‘ALL DONE!”  And I’m really proud of you for completely figuring it out on your own.

It’s been so fun to watch your vocabulary grow and listen to your silly phrases.  What started as constant and complete jibberish is slowly morphing into clear words (mostly demands) that are still a little jumbled but becoming clearer every day.  Some of my favorite phrases:

• “Mahhhhhh toooooyyyyyeeeee” means your brother stole your toy and you’re PISSED.
• Your play phone conversations are hilarious.  “Hello? Daddy? Uhhh… ok.  I poo potty.  Ummmm… yes.  Ok. Bye.”
• “CHI CHI BOO BOO” from your crib when you want just one more bedtime story (Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is your current favorite).
• Your numbers.  ‘Eh-loo-loo’ (eleven) is my personal favorite.
• “Ohhhh MA-N!” in a tone that sounds identical to me. Can I just say, if you’re parroting my phrases, I’m SO thankful this one is oh ‘man’ and not something worse.
• “I want you too, Daddy” is how you respond to your Dad when he says he loves you.  Melt my heart.

You LOVE to be on the move and to explore new places.  You’re not afraid to climb ladders up to the highest part of the playground and do EVERYTHING your brother does (+ more… you don’t really have his sense of caution).  Every night after you get into your jammies, you run laps and shriek with excitement “I get you!!  I GET YOU!!!”. Now, if you can just get a little better at watching WHERE you’re running (instead of looking back over your shoulder to see if someone is chasing after you), that could help our injury count around here!

Boo, you’re my bold, fearless and FEISTY little girl and I adore you (even if you’re constantly challenging me).  Two is going to be quite the adventure!

Love,

Momma