Baby Mac - 23 Months

Dear Baby Mac,

In just one short month you will be two years old and your poor mama will be crying her eyes out over a giant piece of birthday cake.  The last two years have been full of so many contradictions and simultaneous conflicting feelings.  I feel like you just got here, yet I also feel like I've known you my whole life.  I want you to stay little forever, yet I can't wait to watch you grow up and see who you'll become.  I can't get enough of you, yet sometimes I just want you to go to bed!

True to form, you're a bit ahead of the game and we've officially entered the Terrible Twos early.  The tantrums and whining are pretty over the top these days and what I thought was a tantrum a few months ago now looks like a hiccup.  You are perfecting the art of kicking, screaming, biting, flailing, stomping, shouting and hitting all at the same time in order to get what you want.  You can go from 0 to meltdown faster than I can blink.  Most meltdowns are over things like wanting a sucker before breakfast or not wanting to go inside when you're out playing (both of which I understand), but sometimes they're over ridiculous things like not being able to eat chapstick, kick the dogs, bring worms in the house or dump out the trash.  Boy, can you get angry!  We try reasoning with you, distracting you, offering you other choices, but you are one persistent and determined little shit dude and it usually doesn't work.  More often than not you just have to work it out and cry while I stand there in absolute shock and horror watching ("ignoring") you.  Toddlers are so much fun!

But really, you are so much fun these days.  Your vocabulary is just amazing.  You put together entire sentences now and can basically carry on mini conversations with me.  I love it.  You say things like "mama, sit right here" now, instead of just "chair" like a few months ago.  You can count to ten, know all your colors and some of your alphabet.  You sing songs and know what's about to happen in all of your books.  You know all the neighborhood kids by name and every dog on the street.  You tell me what you want to eat (usually pancakes or pasta), what you want to watch (usually Aristocats or Robin Hood) and where you want to go (always outside).  You've started contemplating things (or at least mimicking me contemplating things), which is so stinking adorable.  I will ask you a question like, "Do you think there will be elephants at the zoo?" and you'll get a serious look on your face and say, "Hmmmm...might be."  I die.

And this probably goes without saying, but you are so smart.  Lately you've started negotiating with me for things that you want.  I'll tell you that we can watch one minute of Bambi before bed and you'll say "one minute Bambi, two minutes Robin Hood."  Are you kidding me?!  I guess that's what happens with lawyer parents.  You never forget anything and I'm constantly amazed at how often you bring up things that happened days/weeks/months ago that I'd forgotten all about.  The other day you saw your Santa Claus sippy cup and said "Ho ho, cry, picture, George and Charlie." Which is ridiculous - how can you possibly remember that we saw Santa with George and Charlie and got your picture taken, where you cried nearly 5 months ago!  It's crazy.  And you are getting so good at giving us context clues to get your point across when we don't understand what you're saying.  The other day you wanted your pajamas with the firetrucks on them (although you insist that they are garbage trucks), so you said "Hey Hey Block Away," which is the first page of your book about garbage trucks. And then I understood.  Amazing!

When you're not having a meltdown, you are usually happy.  You might not be one of those kids that laughs at everything or smiles nonstop (you've got a serious side), but you are a very happy and affectionate child.  You wake up every morning with a huge smile on your face and say "Wake up, mama!  Wake up, daddy!"  You love being tickled and giving hugs.  You love jumping on the bed and snuggling under the covers with us.  You give bear hugs to the dogs, cat and fish every day.  You love waving good bye to me when I go to work and give the best sloppy kisses.

But mainly, you are busy.  And I mean busy, busy, BUSY!  You never seem to stop moving. Getting you to sit still for anything (bath, meals, etc.) is a challenge these days.  You never seem to walk, you run.  Or jump.  There's lots of jumping off of things happening at our house.  You are also obsessed with this little Radio Flyer mini bike that one of the neighborhood kids gave you and you can fly on that thing!  You go as fast as your little feet can go - you remind us of a Flintstones character with your legs spinning as push yourself around on this thing.  You love to race too...preferably down a big hill.  Such a speed demon.  We're in for trouble.  You have a helmet, but it's still pretty big and awkward, so you don't wear it as much as you probably should.  When you move up to something with pedals, we'll insist. You're also pretty athletic, just like your daddy.  You are becoming a champ in swim class and seem to have no fear when it comes to water.  You swim underwater from the nanny to the instructor and jump in the pool from the side (and fully submerge) and then beg to do it again.  I can't wait to take you to the beach next month!  You love playing basketball and never get discouraged when you miss it.  You are also getting really good at golf.  You will turn anything into a golf club and are pretty good about making contact with the ball. I think it's about time to get you a real set of clubs.

So that's about it, little man.  I'll save the rest of my gushing until next month when you turn two. For now, just know that you are so incredibly loved and have made your dad and I the happiest, proudest parents on the planet.  Keep being you, dude.

Love,
Your mama

Favorite Things:

• being outside
• slides
• chapstick
• squirt bottles
• digging for worms
• swimming
• little red tricycle
• suckers
• pasta
• trains
• airplanes
• doing things on your own
• your sister's room
• golf
• cookies
• daddy
• talking
• jumping on the bed
• lemonade

Dislikes:

• getting dressed
• diaper changes
• being inside
• going to sleep
• getting your picture taken
• getting your hands/face wiped
• getting in the car seat
• being told no

Hope you all had a very "hoppy" Easter!