Two

Dear Claire,

Two.

TWO.

How is it possible that you have turned two today? On the one hand, it seems like just yesterday that you first came into our lives, so tiny and helpless and new.

And yet, on the other hand, it feels like you have always been in our lives and in our hearts. In fact, you are so completely different now from when you were first born that it’s hard for me to come to grips that Baby Claire and Toddler Claire are one and the same.

Well, maybe not the same. My goodness, people told me how many changes happen in the first couple of years, but no one can prepare you for the reality. In two short years, you have gone from a helpless little newborn to an independent, funny, loving, stubborn and fiery little girl. There are all of the physical milestones, of course – you walk and run and go up and down the stairs by yourself (you even showed off on Monday morning by going down the outside stairs all by yourself when you usually let me help you), and you are working on mastering jumping. You are starting to string words together and you are (usually) able to tell me exactly what you want or need. You love nothing more than to make people laugh. You don’t hold back on hugs – in fact, sometimes you do a running hug that will topple the unprepared over, laughing the whole time.

And hugs. Oh my goodness, the hugs. You love to hug people once you get to know them a little bit. You always have to hug your teachers at daycare before you leave for the day, and you often hug all of the kids who are still there. You love giving kisses too and, when the mood strikes you, to snuggle with Mommy and Daddy. Lately you have been insisting on me rocking you to sleep rather than soothing yourself after books and songs, and as Daddy is away right now, I can’t bear to say ‘no’ to you on some extra snuggles at night.

You are not, however, a good sleeping companion. When you wake up close to the time when we have to get up, I will usually bring you into bed with me, but it’s with the knowledge that I will have to be happy with merely closing my eyes, but no sleep will be had once you come into the bed. It’s all about moving around, whipping the blankets off and then crying to have me put them back over you, and touching my face and head-butting me and trying to get as close as possible and then a little bit closer to me. But that’s okay because I love snuggle time with you too.

You LOVE Youtube videos of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” (or, as you refer to it, “How I wonder”) and “Old MacDonald” (“EIEIO”) and “Baa Baa Black Sheep” (“Baa-baa”) and “Row Row Row Your Boat” (“Boat”) and “No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” (either “No More” or “Monkeys”). You seem to be quite enamored with “My Little Pony” on Treehouse and I’ve noticed (to my chagrin) that you are becoming a fan of “Dora”.

I don’t know what I would do without you, Claire-Bear. Some people might say that it’s harder now when Daddy is away because I have a child and I have to be on single-parent duty, but you know what, by and large it’s easier now that I have you. You keep me busy and, most importantly, you make me the happiest I have ever been. You make me laugh, you give me lots of love, and you give me a reason to be silly.

Claire, I can never describe how much I love you because it is impossible to put that into words. You fill my heart to bursting, you fill my life with sunshine, you fill my soul with happiness.

I love you. Thank you for being you.

Happy birthday little one.

Love,

Mommy