To My Little Spitfire

Well Miss Emma, Happy 2nd Birthday! It's taken me about 4 months to get to the point where I can admit that you are actually turning 2 years old. Of course, you have given me more than enough clues that you are ready to turn 2. I, however, am still trying to get used to the idea.

Last year's birthday letter was a bit mushy—which is fine by me—but as I get to know your personality more and more, it only seems appropriate that this one be a little less flowery and more to the point.

I think the only word that could come close to describing you is "spitfire." You are one busy lady, and you definitely like things your way. You have an unfathomable amount of energy that begins the very moment you wake up...at 6am. No cuddling, no "easing into the day." Nope, you are up and ready to play the second those eyes pop open.

From there, our days are usually filled with lots of activity. You are extremely physical and love to play "Ring the Rosie," catch, and "Chase You." There are a few other crazy games you and your Daddy play, like running into a pile of pillows on his chest; flipping over his head; and tickle wrestling, but with Mommy's belly getting bigger every day, we save those for when Daddy gets home.

Outside is one of your favorite places to be, whether we are going for short walks to visit the porcelain "hop hops" down the street or taking a trip in your wagon to get the mail. Of course, you insist that we "snap, snap!" you in every trip and that you have at least one baby or other furry friend with you. You also love driving your Dora vroom vroom "to the store," only to quickly return with an "I'm back" and a big hug.

You have recently grown very fond of your sandbox, which keeps you busy for quite a while on hot days, as long as you have a couple of buckets of water nearby. Mommy especially enjoys these days, when she can sit and read a book or magazine as you play.

And the park. Let's not forget about the park. The "wee slide" is by far your favorite part of our trips, but you also enjoy climbing up the steps and will even go for a short swing if other kids are threatening to use it first.

You are certainly not shy, but I wouldn't exactly call you friendly either. Strangers work hard to get you to flash a smile, but you usually just turn away or look right past them. I admit that I used to get upset about it, but now I know this is just your way. But for those you know and love, you are more than happy to share a quick kiss or hug, although most of us would like to hang on a little tighter and a little longer. You love to play with kids, and seem to prefer those who challenge you. Although you like your way, you also appreciate a little conflict. This makes Mommy very, very nervous…

What I would call our downtime consists of building towers with Daddy, reading books, and watching your beloved 30 minutes of TV a day. Your favorite shows include Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Wonder Pets, as well as your Elmo, Bob & Larry (Veggie Tales), and turtle (The Pond) videos. As active as you are, I know you would be more than happy to sit in front of the TV all day long. This is why you are limited to one show a day on my clock, if at all.

One of your very most favorite things to do is take care of your baby and Minnie. These are truly your buds. You make them meals all the time, take them for walks, rock them when they cry, put them "night night," feed them bottles, and bring them with you anywhere I'll let you. They are truly your best friends, and you love them with such intensity that my heart literally wants to burst. You are going to be such a great big sister. This I know for a fact.

You are extremely sharp and soak up new information like a sponge.
You can:

Sing your ABCs, as well as a dozen other songs

Recognize and name almost all of your letters

Easily count to 15 (although 13 is often missing for some reason)

Name your shapes and colors (although we often mix up red/pink and blue/green)

Communicate in sentences that blow my mind

And the biggie… go potty on the toilet! This one truly took me by surprise, but once you set your mind to something, I have a feeling there is no turning back. (At least I hope!) I wasn't expecting you to be in" big girl pants" before your second birthday, but then again, that is exactly why it happened. You often like to remind me that we run on Emma's clock, not mine.

Eating is still one of your favorite things to do, although you are getting pickier by the day. You love your whole-wheat noodles, beans, and turkey hotdogs from TJs, but lately, any other protein needs to be "dip-dipped" in ketchup. You like green beans, peas, and corn, but won't touch potatoes for some reason. You love fruit of all kinds, especially purple "bapes," '"nanas" and watermelon. You haven't had any real junk food yet, so your indulgences include the occasional banana cookie and Kix cereal. We typically stick to the good stuff, and you seem just fine with that.

You sleep as hard as you play. You take a 3-hr nap every day and sleep about 10-11 hours at night. This is like clockwork unless you are sick. Mommy loves this about you! HOWEVER, if for some reason you don't get all of this sleep in, you can be pretty darn cranky, and the rest of our day is a struggle. Mommy doesn't like this part, but I also realize I can't have it both ways. So a strict schedule it is!

I know I am still #1 in your life, but we certainly have our share of power struggles. You have taught me to be very creative when giving directions and have forced me to pull patience from places I didn't even know existed. In fact, you may be solely responsible for improving my prayer life! ☺

Truth be told, your zest for life leaves me with very little energy at the end of the day, but it is worth every second as God gives me glimpses of the woman you will become: Assertive, successful and energetic, yet loving, caring and passionate. A wonderful mix that only our Creator could come up with.

As the next year unfolds, you will certainly have a lot to deal with: A new little sister or brother, (hopefully) a new house, and lots of new milestones. But with your strength and determination, I know you will be just fine.

Mommy, on the other hand, might just need a few more snuggles to get through it all…

Happy Birthday, sweetie! I love you more than you'll ever know.