It is hard not to address you as Baby Jack, but we celebrate your second birthday today, so I think I should restrain myself. I don’t promise that same restraint later, after all, you will always be my baby. But now, as you declared at the dinner table the other night, you are a big boy.
As big as someone who labels himself as such ever is.
This last year has been CRAZY! You are so smart, funny and active. About the time you turned one, you started walking and talking and you never let up. Full speed ahead! seems to be your motto.
Some favorite memories from this year:
You pushing your fire engine in mad laps around the living room with your rear end sticking out. Your body formed a perfect L-shape as you sped around and around. We pulled our feet up and braced for crashes. This was your ritual after breakfast everyday in December.
You make your choo-choos too big to move around the track.
Your hot-wheel car lots. Your latest after-breakfast ritual, arranging elaborate parking lots and making beeping noises when the cars back up.
Your absolute adoration of your animal friends. Never has a child loved their loveys more than you. You pile them up and snuggle all day.
You telling Nana’s parakeets, Be kawet (quiet) birds! I’m gonna put you in the corner!
Speaking of corners, how you joined Max in his punishment, even though he was sent to the corner for hitting you.
Your obsession with Richard Scary’s Best Storybook Ever. You call it Crash, because that’s your favorite page.
Your newest obsession with Mary Had a Little Lamb. You like to sing, school one day, school one day, school one day. You love your own little lamb.
The fact that you are a Cookie Monster.
You’re a fearless water baby and you love sea shells. I take you into deep water and you kick and move your arms away from my body. Daily you whine, I need to see the water. It cracks me up, beach baby.
I am still your favorite person on earth. We’re still two peas in a pod. Sometimes you say, I love Mommy, for three minutes straight. I eat it up.
Max is genuinely your best friend.
You love eating. Your enthusiam for bananas seems to have waned as applesauce replaced it. You always comment on how juicy it is and you request cinnamon with it. Foodie baby.
You color with both hands: bright, passionate scribbles.
Your love of trucks makes driving fun. You are happy to see construction and traffic jams. You name all the vehicles and what they’re doing. Armored car: money inside it!
You have an impish grin and a fantastic sense of humor. You know it. You call yourself a funny guy.
You mastered the art of squirming out of trouble by either completely ignoring my words or bursting into a complete meltdown. This drives me batty.
You taunt Daddy when he toots. You say, P.U. Daddy, stinky garbage truck!
You are always the first one to run to Daddy with lips raised to offer a good-bye kiss when he leaves to go to work.
Ah, I could go on. The fact is, every single day with you is happiness. You are lightness and fresh air. You are my sunshine and sunshine itself. You completed our family and made us all completely happy in doing so.
Happy Birthday, my sweet little Jack!
I will love you forever.
Utterly yours,
Mama
I love this! You captures the essense of our dear, dear, Jack.