Soppy Mommy {a journal entry}

{*warning*warning - overload of soppy stuff ahead - read at your own risk} 

My dearest little E,

You're 23 months old, which means next month you'll turn 2! You're no baby anymore, my sweet thing. Now you can run (almost as fast as Monty *wink) and you can even ride a scooter and a tricycle. You can count to 10 very nicely and you try so very hard to speak to us in 3 (sometimes 4) word sentences. Very fancy. They're most often very emphatic ("Daddy, please uppie! or "Go walk outside!" or "I play drum mommy!") and it sorta seems that you're a pro at getting what you want. You know how to smile up a storm when you have a hankering for some candy and your happy dance is a means to any end you desire. In fact, the other day you were playing with a toy somewhere and another little boy got all "up in your grill" about sharing that toy with you. You stared at him as he continued to reprimand you for being too close to "his" toy and then all of a sudden, you broke out the happy dance. Guess that little guy didn't bother you in the least. Hmm ... wish your bros didn't get under your skin as much as they do. But I suppose that's different huh little man? Your Monty loves to swipe whatever you're playing with, but he's all smart and sly about it cause it's always done by some sort of awesome switch. He'll bring you, say, a cool little book that he'll talk up a bit before he asks if you would like it, at which point you put down the cell phone which he swiftly swipes away with a run for it. Sometimes there are tears and other times you're indifferent. Not a whole lot bothers you.

Your big brothers started school again and so you and I get to spend some one-on-one time together which I think we both love immensely. Though I have to admit, you tend to have more fits when they're not around and you have my undivided attention. Figures. You're the closest to a terrible two when it's just you and me ... or when we go out to eat with the family. You love to get as scoundrel-ous as humanly possible. Every one of you went through that phase, the dreaded one during which our family is doomed if we go out to eat. You will be a little devil and there's no getting past it. Oh well ... we can wait for another year if we must. You're just helping our food budget out in the long run.

My absolute favorite things about you:
I love it when you call me in the mornings to announce that you are awake {and then you act all chilled out and make me wait a while before you're ready to get out of your crib}.
I love it when you wrap your arms around my neck, something you've always done and that remains at the top of my "favorite list".
I love it when you sip the milk from the bottom of your cereal bowl just like your big brothers do, except with drenched jammies to show for it.
I love it when you move the kitchen stool over to the snack cupboard and then climb it to find your own food (again, just like your bros).
I love it when you sing spontaneously or when you air drum to the beat of a song (just like Monty). You current go-to is "We will, we will, rock you!. Awesome.
I love it when you climb into my lap when I'm on the computer and get completely in my way (and often when I'm eating too), hogging the space for yourself.
I love the way you gallop everywhere instead of simply walking.
I love it when you fold your arms behind your head when you're tired, trying to get comfy in your car seat or on the couch. I think you sleep that way too.
I love the way you tickle us, as if you're the daddy and we're the child.
I even love it when you get mad and smack me in the head cause then I get to teach you about right and wrong and I see your eyes fill with big tears and your little lip quiver from the shame of it all (and that's after a stern "no", Mr. Sensitive). You make my heart smoosh.

As you can tell little E, I could keep going on and on about you cause I think you're the loveliest creature ever. So I'm freezing you in my mind as this magnificent (close to) 2 year old, with all these beautiful toddler traits I'll cherish forever.