Dear Quinn,
Two years ago, we met and got to hold each other for the first time. Two years - they've come and gone so very quickly! I have so much to say to you, but I don't know where to start! So, I'll start with the simplest, yet most powerful: I love you. I love loving you. I love how well you love your family and friends. You light up the lives of so many people by just being you - a sweet, sensitive, affectionate, snuggly, smart, thoughtful, polite, cuddly boy! You are the epitome of all of those things. At two years old, you are nearly fully conversational - able to string your ideas together, tell us what you want, understand everything we say or ask, and add new vocabulary to your plethora of words on a daily basis. You are so observant - aware of others' feelings, what may have just happened, and even what you can do to be a helper. You pick things up when others' drop them or put things back when they are out of place. You just seem to notice things that need attention. You are great at sharing and taking turns (most of the time!). You catch on to words and phrases that Banner might use, and you copy some of our behaviors - thankfully the more positive ones! You love so fiercely and are happiest when our family is all together. You don't like it when one of us is elsewhere at school or work and will continue to cry or ask for that person.
So, what else have you been up to lately?
-Whenever you want to make a word plural, you add "-es" to the word: sockes, bookes, rockes. It's really kind of cute.
-My favorite expression this month has been "Don't like it." When I'm changing your diaper, you will often say, "Don't like it. Don't like it, Mommy!" Or, you'll try a food and spit it out saying, "Don't like it!"
-Yesterday, we were eating lunch together, and when I offered you some cracker with turkey on it and tried to feed it to you, you said, "Quinn do it actually." I had to try not to laugh. Then, a few minutes later, I set another cracker on your tray, and you wanted it in a different place, so you said, "This one actually," as you moved it to a different section of your plate.
-You started school this past month!! The first week was rocky, but, while you still cry during drop off, your teachers claim you are adjusting very well, and the last couple school days have been much better! You go Monday/Wednesday/Friday. You are with me on Tuesdays and with Grandma on Thursdays.
-You are trying so hard to jump. You're making progress, but you aren't quite getting both feet off the ground yet.
-You can finally say "truck" properly - so you are not cussing. And, we're working on "shirt." :)
-You hate it when I cut your nails. I hate having to do it - but I can't stand a boy with long nails!
-You like trying to use the potty, but you very rarely actually pee in it. You will ask to use the potty, but once on, nothing happens. You do like to take off your own diaper, and at least at this writing, you only do it when appropriate. Dear Lord, I hope that doesn't change. :)
-You would eat donuts or kolaches for breakfast every day if I let you - just like Banner. You're not a big sweets eater - you like to think you are, always asking for cookies or ice cream or a cupcake or chocolate when you see it. But, once you have it, you just hold it and never really put it in your mouth. It basically just makes a huge mess in your hand.
-We celebrated Graham & Greenley's first birthdays, Mommy & Daddy's anniversary, had a play date with Julia Bella and with Blakely (who just moved away and who we will miss dearly because you two play so nicely together!). You got to come to a sonogram to "see" your little brother - but I'm sure you couldn't make any of that image out!
-Speaking of, you know there is a baby in Mommy's belly. You and Grandma were drawing a family picture last week, and after she drew me, you pointed to the belly and said, "Baby." The next day, though, you pointed to your own belly and said, "Baby in there?" I told you no... just food! :)
-You LOVE My Gym classes. I am so glad we did that this summer and continued it this semester. It's a highlight of my week, and I love spending that one-on-one time with you. You play so nicely with the other children, you attempt new equipment and new skills, and you LOVE to help clean up!
-You know your colors, enjoy singing the alphabet and "Twinkle," can count pretty well on most days, and can recount your entire school day to me when I pick you up. In fact, Ms. Tali was super-impressed with that when you told me nearly everything you had done at school one day. I wouldn't have been able to know the WHOLE story without her elaborating, but you walked me through the whole thing, and then she commented that she doesn't even get that much information from her junior high son! :)
-STATS: (To be completed next week after we see Dr. B)
-Other stats: Wearing size 6 overnight diapers, but size 5 diapers during the day. Wearing clothes from size 18 months to 2T. Sleeping 8:00-7:00 (usually takes you about 20-30 minutes to fall asleep, and you often will roll around in your crib until 7:30am). Napping anywhere from 45 minutes to almost 2 hours. Still on Flonase, Zantac, and Zyrtec.
Quinn Redding, I soaked you up yesterday - spending your last day as a one-year-old together just me and you. We went to My Gym, and as we did our exercises and participated in the opening circle time, it hit me that this was it, I'd never have you as my one-year-old again. And, I got a little teary, and I had to fight back tears as I held you snug against me in my lap. OH, how I enjoy you and our time together! I got to put you to sleep last night. I asked you if you wanted to hear the story of your birth, and you repositioned yourself in my arms to lay horizontally in the crook of my elbow like you did as an infant. (That's how you like to be told stories, so when you heard me say "story," you knew to get in that position.) I recounted the morning of your birth and all the people who came to meet you. I told you about how we held each other and cuddled for nearly 4 days straight in that hospital bed. When we snuggle now, I have a hard time NOT thinking about those first snuggles with you. Truly, our cuddles are my favorite.
I forgot to print your "I Believe" before you went to bed, but I'll
share it with you tomorrow. Otherwise, we did our basic traditional
birthday stuff today: we showered you with balloons in your crib before I had to go to work; we took your birthday pictures in the big chair; and, tonight, we celebrated your big day by going to McDonald's! How classy, I know. Banner mentioned wanting to go, and you would not let that idea go without a fight. Since it was your birthday, you won - and Banner, too, by default. You had a blast there playing after attempting to eat your hamburger. Several times throughout the evening, you would say, "Happy!" or "Quinn happy, Daddy... Quinn happy, Mommy!" And, I absolutely love when you are!
Happy 2nd Birthday, My Love!
It's been a fabulous year! I can't wait to see what this year brings!
I love you so very much!
Love,
Mommy
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| Your last picture as a one-year-old |
