This is a project that has been in the making for several months now and one I have been looking forward to. But I have to admit that when Amy Grace approached me about it, I was a little intimidated. I decided feeling out of my comfort zone is a good thing so I am joining a group of uber talented photographers in a project called "Letters to our Children". On the 15th of each month we will all write a letter to one of our kids along with pictures of course because isn't that what photographers do? The picture part is no problem for me but the writing...well it's not my strongest suit so writing this I feel like I am putting myself out there a little bit. It's a good thing though. I actually started writing letters to my first two kids every year on their birthdays. The plan was to give them each a book on their 18th birthday with the letters. Well after the third baby came so did some chaos and so the letter writing got pushed to the side (very typical of me starting projects and not finishing) So here I am embarking upon this once again...better late than never right? Oh and don't forget to follow the circle by clicking on the link at the end of my post...
One more thing...please disregard any grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors...don't judge people...don't judge. hehe
Oh my dear Little One,
Where do I even begin with you? Two years ago you came into our crazy family as child number 4. I was a bit overwhelmed with it all but you were a breeze to take care of (thank goodness). You were the MOST adorable baby with a head full of hair. I remember how I felt in those quiet moments in the hospital as clear as if it were yesterday...that feeling of pure joy and overwhelming love. I would just sit there and hold you and hug you and smell you..yes smell you..oh that smell of a newborn baby is my favorite smell ever. We brought you home to our organized (well kind of) chaos and you fit right in. You were immediately surrounded by your brothers and sister and they smothered you with love and attention.
I can't believe two years has passed...on one hand it breaks my heart because there will be no more babies born in our family (if I have any say in the matter) and I love babies. I am absolutely in a different place with you than I was with the others. Because I know you are the last, I savor every stage just a little bit more and want to hang on to it just a little bit longer. On the other hand I am excited that time is passing because I LOVE the little girl you are becoming. Your personality fills our whole house. You are the most happy (when you aren't throwing fits) and expressive little girl. I have to admit you can be a little dramatic. Even the way you brush your hair (that is almost always messy) out of your sweet little face has to be accompanined by a funny little sigh and a slow dramatic sweep. It makes me smile every time.
You love to dance. I watch you in awe as you spin around the room to the point of diziness and then lay on the ground and kick up your legs..then get back up and do it again...humming as you go. You are SO independent for a two year old. You can go in the playroom and occupy yourself for longer than I think is normal for your age. When I peek in on you I see you and playing with your dollies and talking to them...making them kiss. You are already VERY imaginative. You like to call me Clarabelle (yes the cow) and you take it very serious..."Clarabelle, I do you hair" and then we sit as you brush my hair and curl it with your pretend curling iron. If anyone calls me "Mom" you qucikly correct them and say "no you Clarabelle and I Rosa" Yes Rosa. You like me to call you Rosa. Not sure where this came from but it makes me laugh. And again if I slip up and call you Lola you are sure to correct me "NO, I Rosa Clarabelle." You are delightfully random (as a lot of two year olds are) You love to pretend you are sleeping and it's always in the funniest places...like outside in the grass or while in the bath. And while you fake sleep you make funniest fake snore. You are a bit of a free spirit and don't see the point in wearing anything but your diaper (unless it's a princess dress). It has been FREEZING here (like the temperature as I type is -7) and still..the minute you wake up you want your jammies off and it's a fight to get you to wear anything. When we go out you will not fight me but the minute we walk in the door you are back in your diaper. Then you walk around saying "I cold Mommy"
The last month or so the princess phase has kicked in. You will wear a princess dress for little spurts thoughout the day. And then you beg for "cinnnabella hair" which means a messy bun on top. Of course as soon as the dress comes off you insist on undoing your hair as well. I guess you like to be in full charater. I ususally have to only refer to you as the name of the princess whose dress you are wearing and boy do you know your princesses. And boy do you get mad if I call you the wrong one! :)
You've started to develop a little bit of a temper recently (i guess the terrible two have begun) It's hard to take your temper and dramatic grumpy faces too seriously because the scowl usually turns to a smile in no time. Your cute little voice can often be heard singing something. Christmas carols are your favorite...in fact I have been singing "HO HO HO" (or Up on the Housetop) to you every night before bed for over a year now. You will not let me sing anything else at bedtime. I'm always shocked at how well you pick up lyrics to songs and hear you singing them (althought not always correctly. Yesterday you were singing your ABC's and you ended with "next time you can't sing with me". When I tried to correct you you just pointed at me and said "NO Clarabelle. You not sing it" Every time we get in the car, you beg for me to turn on "Ho Hey" by the Lumineers. That song was pretty much our summer anthem this past year. All the other kids in the family are SO sick of it now because of your constant request for "HEY" as you yell it and put your fist in the air (have I said yet that you make me smile?).
I cannot believe how blessed I am to have you as my daugther. You bring such joy into our home and are quicky becoming the family clown. We all smile and watch all the funny things you do. Most days I just want to stop time and make you stay two forever, (two might be my favorite age) but then I would miss out on the wonderfully, awesome, funny, creative, and independent girl that I know you are becoming…I love you my little one and couldn't be more grateful that I was blessed with such an AHHHMAZING daughter. And as you say to me every night as I am putting you in your crib...lubyousomuch...and I really really do!
Love,
Mom
Hope you enjoyed seeing all the ups and downs of a two year old. (hehe) Now continue the circle and see what the wonderfully talented Carey Pace has to say to her daughter.
xoxo,
Summer