Dear Lovie,

In just a few short hours you will be 23 months old. My, the time has flown by! These have been the fastest two years of my entire life. Watching you grow is truly and amazing experience.

Recently you have begun to read books all on your own. You get the rhythm and beat of the sentences correctly, and just a few of the words. the rest of the words you say are in your own language. Of course they are stories I have read you a million times, but that is really smart for a not-quite-two-year-old. You make my little teacher heart proud! You can independently dress yourself  from head to toe. You like to flush the potty and say "bye-bye pee pee!" even though you wont pee pee in the big potty yet. You hate diapers, and would rather wear nothing at all, but you still bring them to me to put on when you need to potty. Last week you actually got undressed and did a #2 on the little potty without me asking or helping you. How great is that! I am so ready for you to be fully potty trained but I know that I will be sad when I put your diapers away for good.

Also last week I took you to see Heidi and you got your first hair cut! We said good bye to the Lovie Ray Cyrus mullet and you got a cute little bob. Ever since your haircut, Dada and I keep saying how grown up you look. It is true- you look very grown up.

You are an old soul, Lovie, and you are wise beyond your two years. You know things most almost two year olds cannot comprehend. You are intuitive beyond belief. You are inventive and trying. You know exactly what you are not supposed to do, but you do it anyway. I threaten you with the no-no stick and you laugh. It's not funny, child.

You want Roxie to be your best friend. You want to jump on her and lay on her and play with her. Roxie (Roshk-hee), however, wants nothing to do with you. She is very patient with you, though, and occasionally you get a cuddle or a kiss out of her in exchange for half of your breakfast or lunch.

You are very brave. You go down slides at the playground alone, and have for a few months. Last Friday you climbed to the top of a four story play area... alone. You are fine alone and fit right into a play pace when you don't know anyone. You don't seek out friends right away- you just kind of do your own thing and if someone wants to interact with you you let them. If no one comes up to you to play, that's fine with you, too.

You still love pup-pups, gooks (books), gagolis (blankets), glees (balloons), the glee-gagoli (your favorite blanket), balls (football is your favorite, but you say football and point to a basketball), and glee-ball (this small can of vasoline that your Dada has had forever that you have a strange attachment to), cookies, and doughnuts.

The count down to your 2nd birthday has begun.

Love,