Happy Birthday Oliver! Two Years Old Today!
My little boy! Happy Second Birthday!
I'm in tears as I think about what a endless gift you are to me and to your father. I love being your mother—never could I have known such perfect joy. To hold you, to teach you, to watch you sleep at night. To nurse you in my arms, to make you laugh, to kiss your tears, to let you rest your head on my shoulder... these are things I didn't know I needed and would love so much. Each day my heart swells with love for you, and each day I love you more than I thought I could. You really are a gift unearned. You're my little baby boy!
And today....you're not a baby anymore!
This past year you turned from an innocent little baby into a little boy full of delight and mischief whose personality appeared almost unnoticeably, the way a sink suddenly overflows with running water. I awoke one day to find you sitting there in bright color, a ripened child. You are my joy and satisfaction, a source of evolving entertainment. I melt when you place your hands on my cheeks and kiss me. I sweeten to your affection for the kitties as you nuzzle your cheek along side their furry bodies and gently cup their whiskered faces into your hands, just so you can give them one of your soft kisses. You finally called me by name this year. "Momma! Momma! Momma!" You call me over and over, so that when I finally turn my eye to you, you say, "Hi!" and flash me that big grin. And you even learned to summon your daddy by his first name. "Hey Maaaaaaaaatt!"
Your charms beguile both me and your father and we laugh along side you as we watch you proclaim and declare your place in this world. We are your groupies, your paparazzi, and we fight one another to be the one to guide you as you walk, run, jump, climb and speak. You're a sponge, picking up every trick and feat we show you. Just yesterday, you finally put the 3 Lego pieces together to form the car you've been playing with all year. Surprised by your own growing ability, you declared, "Look Momma! Look!" Then you threw it back on the ground so it would break apart, just so you could put it all back together, like the way we showed you countless times before. I joined you on the kitchen floor and watched you take the car apart and put it back together at least 10 more times. Dinner could wait.
This year you've learned to jump, to climb, to run, to talk and even sing, to count, to take naps in a cot, to drink from a cup, to eat with a fork, to dip your food in sauces and proclaim food's yumminess! You love pizza, chicken and french fries. You still eat hummus and lentil soup, and often ask for an avocado. What a food connoisseur you are! You've learned peoples' names and remembered them, even talking about them when they were not around. You can now brush your teeth, take showers with daddy and even relax your little body, letting the drizzle of water drops calm your mind. And now you sleep through the night (most of the time). I even think you have most of your teeth! Twice this year we watched the movie, Cars, and you softened into my arms and sat so still, the most still you've ever been while awake. You've learned how to work my iPhone, started taking walks without sitting in your chariot, and headed down slides at the park unassisted. You've always known how to kick the soccer ball, but now your kick and aim is even better. You can throw overhand, even catch a ball, and throw a mean punch. You're extremely athletic and strong. I'm so proud of you!
And lately you've even been bribed into using the potty! We've had a few successful deliveries into the little toddler toilet. M & M's work wonders with you. I think a close second in your list of obsessions are trucks, buses and airplanes. Then come puddles, rocks and water. You're all boy. I can hardly contain you. My little adventurer... you are so fearless, so I do all the fearing for you. I'm constantly keeping an eye on you, but you're so quick that you've managed quite a few major bumps, bruises, cuts and scraps. You've even been stung by a bee!
Here's a little overview of the last year. We managed to have some really good times.
March 2009
April 2009:
July 2009
flirting...
on the boat home from Washington Island....
taking after daddy....
August 2009
Curls
September 2009 ...always a healthy appetite, eating anything I cook for you!
You love pizza:
You rode your first horse:
October 2009
Really, you do know how to use a fork:
And lets not forget the Nutella Party you had:
Our little vacation to Bayfield:
November 2009 at the tree farm...
glued to a puddle...
Christmas at the waterpark:
January 2010
and you even got to eat "bad" stuff sometimes....
In February 2010, you acted quite silly at times although the evidence of your playfulness was seen quite early on after you were born...
and always willing to clean up after a hard day of play...
March 2010
I love you my son, Oliver Alexan.... Mommy is so happy to have you!
Mom
I'm in tears as I think about what a endless gift you are to me and to your father. I love being your mother—never could I have known such perfect joy. To hold you, to teach you, to watch you sleep at night. To nurse you in my arms, to make you laugh, to kiss your tears, to let you rest your head on my shoulder... these are things I didn't know I needed and would love so much. Each day my heart swells with love for you, and each day I love you more than I thought I could. You really are a gift unearned. You're my little baby boy!
And today....you're not a baby anymore!
This past year you turned from an innocent little baby into a little boy full of delight and mischief whose personality appeared almost unnoticeably, the way a sink suddenly overflows with running water. I awoke one day to find you sitting there in bright color, a ripened child. You are my joy and satisfaction, a source of evolving entertainment. I melt when you place your hands on my cheeks and kiss me. I sweeten to your affection for the kitties as you nuzzle your cheek along side their furry bodies and gently cup their whiskered faces into your hands, just so you can give them one of your soft kisses. You finally called me by name this year. "Momma! Momma! Momma!" You call me over and over, so that when I finally turn my eye to you, you say, "Hi!" and flash me that big grin. And you even learned to summon your daddy by his first name. "Hey Maaaaaaaaatt!"
Your charms beguile both me and your father and we laugh along side you as we watch you proclaim and declare your place in this world. We are your groupies, your paparazzi, and we fight one another to be the one to guide you as you walk, run, jump, climb and speak. You're a sponge, picking up every trick and feat we show you. Just yesterday, you finally put the 3 Lego pieces together to form the car you've been playing with all year. Surprised by your own growing ability, you declared, "Look Momma! Look!" Then you threw it back on the ground so it would break apart, just so you could put it all back together, like the way we showed you countless times before. I joined you on the kitchen floor and watched you take the car apart and put it back together at least 10 more times. Dinner could wait.
This year you've learned to jump, to climb, to run, to talk and even sing, to count, to take naps in a cot, to drink from a cup, to eat with a fork, to dip your food in sauces and proclaim food's yumminess! You love pizza, chicken and french fries. You still eat hummus and lentil soup, and often ask for an avocado. What a food connoisseur you are! You've learned peoples' names and remembered them, even talking about them when they were not around. You can now brush your teeth, take showers with daddy and even relax your little body, letting the drizzle of water drops calm your mind. And now you sleep through the night (most of the time). I even think you have most of your teeth! Twice this year we watched the movie, Cars, and you softened into my arms and sat so still, the most still you've ever been while awake. You've learned how to work my iPhone, started taking walks without sitting in your chariot, and headed down slides at the park unassisted. You've always known how to kick the soccer ball, but now your kick and aim is even better. You can throw overhand, even catch a ball, and throw a mean punch. You're extremely athletic and strong. I'm so proud of you!
And lately you've even been bribed into using the potty! We've had a few successful deliveries into the little toddler toilet. M & M's work wonders with you. I think a close second in your list of obsessions are trucks, buses and airplanes. Then come puddles, rocks and water. You're all boy. I can hardly contain you. My little adventurer... you are so fearless, so I do all the fearing for you. I'm constantly keeping an eye on you, but you're so quick that you've managed quite a few major bumps, bruises, cuts and scraps. You've even been stung by a bee!
Here's a little overview of the last year. We managed to have some really good times.
March 2009
April 2009:
July 2009
flirting...
on the boat home from Washington Island....
taking after daddy....
August 2009
Curls
September 2009 ...always a healthy appetite, eating anything I cook for you!
You love pizza:
You rode your first horse:
October 2009
Really, you do know how to use a fork:
And lets not forget the Nutella Party you had:
Our little vacation to Bayfield:
November 2009 at the tree farm...
glued to a puddle...
Christmas at the waterpark:
January 2010
and you even got to eat "bad" stuff sometimes....
In February 2010, you acted quite silly at times although the evidence of your playfulness was seen quite early on after you were born...
and always willing to clean up after a hard day of play...
March 2010
I love you my son, Oliver Alexan.... Mommy is so happy to have you!
Mom