Happy Second Birthday, Evan

Dear Evan,

Two days after you turned one, you took your first real steps. Frankly, I don’t remember when you started to run because it seems as if you’ve been running as long as you’ve been walking. And with those steps began the year of moving and shaking, and we’ve been going at a deliriously fun pace ever since.

It’s been a big year for our family. A year ago, you were sleeping in your brother’s old nursery in the house to which we brought you home from the hospital. Since last summer, we’ve been in our new home, and you’ve sure enjoyed the freedom to run and roam. To you, no spot is off-limits: the tiny crevices in Mommy and Daddy’s closet, the dark cave under Nathan’s bed, the outside railing of the stairs (thanks for the many skipped heartbeats with that one), behind couches, on top of tables. Thank goodness we have a nice, large backyard in which you love to play, whether it’s blazing hot or freezing cold. You ride your bikes, throw balls, inspect all the sprinklers to make sure they’re flush with the ground, wander through the flower beds, point out dead bees and worms, color with chalk, and get very, very dirty. Some days we get a chance to go “free range” at the park. While you love climbing on the apparatus and sliding down the slides, park equipment only holds your attention for so long. You like to wander far and wide, on pathways and off.

While you enjoy many different toys, there’s only one type of toy that has been a constant source of enjoyment and entertainment for you this year: Hot Wheels cars. Months ago, you were content to sit with a pile of your brother’s toy cars and examine all the wheels, one by one. Now you enjoy making the cars go. Sometimes it’s across a bed or table, other times into a laundry basket, and occasionally I spot them in your potty (it’s the only thing that’s gone in there so far). We find Hot Wheels all over the house, and there’s never a question as to who put them there. The teacher Miss Stella at our Mommy-and-me class calls you “Mr. Gaga” because you’re content to spend almost all of class time playing with the toy cars she keeps in a bin (“gaga” used the be the way you said “car”).

Speaking of talking, we have witnessed your vocabulary expand tremendously this year. You now say some simple sentences, but still mostly short phrases. It would take pages to describe some of the more memorable things you have said and continue to say. We were tickled the first time you said “kelcome” (“you’re welcome”). You said that to mean “thank you” and have only recently started saying “thank you” instead. Just like Nathan, you call ceiling fans “dangs,” although that will probably change soon. In the past few months you’ve begun to sing quite a bit, too. You don’t know all the words, but you try your best with your favorite songs: “Twinkle, Twinkle, Traffic Light,” “ABCs” and “Rain, Rain, Go Away.” You can count…but your numeric system goes from 2 to 9. Daddy likes it when you say “light ott,” as you can’t seem to say the “f” sound, yet. And when it’s time for a dose from your inhaler (for a wheeze that we hope will eventually go away!) you say it’s time for “medit.” For me, two of the cutest words you say are “Ehmo Dammies” (“Elmo jammies”). I could just melt. Although, not as much as when you say “nuggle Mommy” when you want me to snuggle with you. Ah…

Since Nathan started kindergarten last summer, we’ve gotten into a new routine, just the two of us. We take Nathan to school every school day, and you enjoy waving to him and calling out “bye-bye, Nay-nay!” as he heads into his classroom. We fill our days with frequent trips to the park, jaunts to the grocery store, and our play dates at our Mommy-and-me class as well as Gymboree, something we started a couple of months ago. Sometimes you’re my buddy as I putter around the house doing laundry or cleaning up the kitchen. We read lots of books, too. You love board books, and with them you’ve learned the names of lots of common objects. You enjoy coloring with crayons, although after a while you enjoy throwing them on the ground even more. One of your grandmas always comes over to spend time with you on Thursday mornings while I help out in Nathan’s class. And no matter who’s at the door, whenever you hear a knock or the doorbell, you excitedly call out “T!” (for Grandma T). And since Daddy started working from home, I know it warms his heart every time you wander in the office and call out, “Hi, Daddy!”

Your big brother is your constant companion, when he isn’t in school. With Nathan as your example, you’ve learned to run hard, play harder, and take silly to the nth degree. You both enjoy running in circles from the family room through the kitchen and into the living room area. You like to take flying leaps into the bean-bag chair. You jump on beds. You dance yourselves dizzy to the “Shrek” soundtrack. You watch “Dinosaur Train” and “Busytown Mysteries” on the TV. You scream in the car. You splash water in the tub. You fight. You make up. You get bruises. You smooch. You toot. You egg each other on, and you crack each other up. You’re the best of friends.

You’re kind of a picky eater, but there are a few things that you really enjoy. Aside from the typical crackers, cookies and cheese, you absolutely love macaroni and spaghetti (you call both “roni”). You also usually enjoy eating cottage cheese, yogurt (“gogo”), grapes (“gape”), strawberries, banana (“lala”), tacos, yogurt-covered raisins (“rain”), toast, and, of course, pizza. We don’t, however, go out to dinner very much because you don’t like to sit long to eat. Souplantation is, of course, an exception. You and Nathan can get all your favorite foods in one place there.

You’re good at riding in the car, but not-so-great at sleeping through the night. You love taking baths, but you don’t especially love getting ready and brushing your teeth. Yep, you throw tantrums. But, no, they never last long. And you’re always ready and willing to give a hug to make things all better. And at the end of each day things are always perfect because I have you in my life.

So, on the eve of your second birthday, Evan, I hope you know that every inch of my heart is filled with love for you, little mover and shaker. It’s hard for me to see you get older because I don’t want to let go of these unique and adorable days with you in your toddlerhood. But I know the fun is only just beginning, and that makes me smile. But can I request one thing? If at all possible, please never stop saying “nuggle Mommy.”

I love you. Happy birthday!

Mommy