Tuesday, July 16, 2013

On the Eve of Your Second Birthday

July 16, 2013

Dear Thomas,

Tonight is your last night as a one year old. I thought I would give you a glimpse of what you're like, on the precipice of a new year.

Right now we are (for the most part) enjoying our summer together. Your family and some buddies celebrated your birthday on Sunday with an epic Nemo themed(ish) party. I worked way too hard but it was fun. Your Aunts and Uncles built (yes! Built!) you an amazing sandbox which you love like crazy, especially now that it's filled with new trucks and things to dig. Which brings me to my next point; you love trucks, tractors and things with wheels. You love to dig. You love sand. I hate sand, but I love you. So I put up with it. Mostly.

We are attempting potty training... I don't want to push too hard, and you don't seem overly interested. Which is fine. You are absolutely exhibiting traits of the "terrible two's" on a fairly regular basis. You are just so advanced that you've been practicing your terribleness for at least 3 months. You have very particular ideas about which things should happen when and how (just like some other people I know) and when you don't get your way you get very upset. "Mommy! Stop singing!"
I will remind you of a conversation we had last week which basically went like this:
"Milk? Drink? Milk?"
"Thomas, I forgot to bring you a drink. We don't have any milk with us."
"Milk. Milk please Mummy? Milk. DRINK."
This went on (without cease) for at least 20 minutes before I finally decided to bail on the park, and found a drink (but not milk) in your bag in the car. You rock a ladybug backpack, like it's nobody's business.

Every now and then I get exasperated and want to scream and cry... It's very frustrating when we don't get our own way. I understand. I think part of it comes from the fact that you are SO smart and so articulate. You have more words than most other two year old's I know. I don't know what to attribute that to, (except for Dad's theory that you sucked out both our brains as a baby) but I think it's awesome when you parrot me.

You love Hobbes (sometimes painfully), you worship your Grandpa (he has the tractors after all) and I think you'd really love to be able to spend more time with Daddio. I don't know where the "o" thing came from, Daddio is clearly because you're a Cool Cat from the fifties... But Mummy-o, Thomas-o? I don't get it. It sure is cute though.

You love books. And that is fantastic because your whole family loves books. I can't wait to read you the Harry Potter series. We read James and the Giant Peach a few months ago, it only took a few weeks! But your attention span for the sound of my voice was impressive, since there aren't many pictures in that book. But I think if you were given the opportunity, you would likely sit and watch t.v. all day... Couch potato!

You've recently started fighting sleep and naps like some kind of demon... I'm not sure if it's the heat or a growth spurt or if you've just decided you miss too much when you sleep... Honestly, your Dad and I spend some time arguing over our newly-acquired Netflix (he wants me to watch all the nerdy things... I have my limits! And so many sitcoms to catch up on!) and crashing. Very rarely are you missing anything fun! So please PLEASE start doing the napping and sleeping thing... They're so important for your parents.

You can be so sweet, caring, funny, charming and adorable. You can also be stubborn, frustrating, loud and exasperating. Basically, in most ways you are already a two-year old. Except the number of days you've been alive. You are still trying to hang on to your babyhood in many ways, (your sookie, refusing to climb up or down stairs, your stuffies - especially Hop... and that's adorable. I hope you still sleep with Hop when you're 35) but every day I see more of the little boy you are quickly (too quickly) becoming. You tuck in your stuffies, you apologize for your behaviour, patting Grandma on the back when you realize you were hurting her. I can see glimpses of who you are becoming, and I am so proud.

The last two years have been more challenging than I could ever have imagined. Parenting is not what anyone will ever be able to tell you. You will not understand until you live it. No matter what. But it has been so full of complete and utter joy. The purest joy at watching you discover something new, seeing you grow and change and become more of who you are every day.

If you could slow down a little, I'd really appreciate it. I want just a little more time to spend with my Sweet Little Pea.

I love you more than all the words and all the stars and all the drops of water in the sea. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.

Mummy-o