My dearest love bug,
The week before last you turned 2 years old. I have been
meaning to write this letter for several weeks now, but the task of summing you
up – who you are at 2 years old – is a bit daunting. We celebrated your
birthday on a Thursday this year, and Gamma and Papa were in town on the day of
your birthday – which brought you endless joy. G&G were in town because
Great Auntie Jan was in the hospital and so they had stayed the previous night.
I had the day off from work because we were having yet another blizzard (this
winter has been ridiculous) and daycare was closed, so I was home with you. We
had started our morning as we usually do – you waking around 5:30 or 6:00 a.m.,
and coming to bed with me. I gave you some juice and you fell back to sleep
curled up against my side. I had gotten up a while later and was visiting with
Papa in the living room. Gamma was in the bathroom getting ready to go visit
her sister up at the hospital. Soon, you came wandering out of the bedroom, all
sleepy eyed and dragging your blanket. You say Papa and your face absolutely
lit up. You said, “Oh, hi Papa!” and wandered over to him and gave him your “head
hug” (a way you have of hugging people by laying your head against them and
curving your body to them without actually putting your arms around them).
Later when Gamma came out from the bathroom, I think you knew that it was a
special day, indeed. Both G&G here in the morning? A perfect day in the
life of Ruby.
The following weekend we had a birthday party at G&G’s
house. I think you had a blast. Tesa and Tilden were there and that makes any
event a party in your book. No matter how old you are, Ruby, no matter what
birthday you are celebrating, I hope you feel special. I hope you know how
delighted I am because of you and how you have made the world a better place
just by being in it.
Some things about you at the grand ol’ age of 2:
You love to run. You often have races, and if Gamma is
around you encourage her to run with you. You make easy work of it too. Your
feet barely touch the floor and you run so naturally that I believe I am
raising an athlete.
You love, love, love your friends. You have a sidekick at daycare
named Bella. You talk about her and several other kids (McCoy, Zach, Jaynes)
constantly. And your teachers. One teacher especially, JoJo. When I pick you up
from daycare, where JoJo is, there Ruby is. You almost always have to give her
a hug goodbye and she has an equally soft spot for you, as I have heard her
tell you several times now that she loves you.
When you are determined and feeling smug, you walk swifty
and swing your right arm. You hold your left arm still, and your right arm
swings to beat the band. It’s super comical and screams attitude. Usually when
you walk like this, your face is set, with your lips set in a half smile and
your chin jutted. “I got this!”
Something you have started just recently is you scrunch your
face up when asking a question. You
squint your eyes and wrinkle your forehead like “Really? Is that REALLY the
moon?”
You can count to 12, recite several songs (Itsy Bitsy Spider;
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star; You are So Beautiful; and a few others), you kind
of have the ABCs down (some letters sound more like a drunk Irishman shouting,
but I get what you’re trying to say), you have found a love for coloring and
artwork of all kinds, colors are tough for you to sort out (every color is blue
to you), you know your basic prayers (bed time and mealtime), you can “read” to
me a couple of your books (you tell me what’s happening by looking at the
pictures), and you are saying more words than I can even count – and throwing
in full-blown sentences. You are one smart cookie.
When I tell you that it’s time to pickup toys and get ready
for bed, you usually ignore me the first round. After a few minutes I will say,
“Ruby? Did you hear me? It’s time to pick up toys. It’s bedtime.” You reply, “OOOOOHHH,
bedtime.” Like, oh, THAT’S what you were talking about, I had no idea.
You are getting fiercely independent. You try to dress
yourself, you want to bathe yourself, you want to brush your own hair, brush
your teeth, and just about anything I can do, you want to do too. I love this
about you, but it’s terribly inconvenient when we are already 5 minutes late in
the morning and you INSIST on putting on your own socks or zipping your own
coat. What is comical about it, though, is that you often try to take care of
me too. You want to brush my hair or help me with my socks. You’ve even tried
to help me use the toilet, which resulted in some embarrassment (on my part)
and a startling flush mid-sit. All this independence, though, takes its toll.
Because when it has come to bed time this past month, it’s been long,
difficult, and somewhat tortuous. You want me there with you. Not just me
dangling over the edge of the crib, patting your back or singing – several times
you have asked to be rocked to sleep and many times you want to lay with me in
my bed. You wrap your arms around my neck and twirl your fingers through my
hair. If I move an inch, you move an inch in the same direction. I hug and kiss
you several times and you hug and kiss me right back. You set your face about 2
inches from my face, hold my cheeks in your hands, give me an eskimo kiss, and
say, “Love you SOOOOO much.” Even the
nights when you are feeling secure enough to go to sleep in your own crib, you
often get up several times, wrap your arms around my waist and lay your head on
my chest for several long moments. Then you need a kiss before you lay back
down. I was concerned when this extra fanfare at bed time first began but I
have since read that when a toddler is stretching their independence so much
throughout the day, they need the extra reassurance at some point, that their
parents are there to love them and take care of them no matter how independent,
defiant, or naughty they may become. It makes so much sense. This extra time we
make in the morning and at bedtime for snuggles and giggles and “I love you”s
seems to boost your confidence.
I will admit that you
are challenging. You are very, very busy and if you don’t have something
constructive for you to do, you will make something to do. Therein lay the only
issue we have. You are smart and clever and don’t like to sit around, so I have
to figure out things for you to do or you get grumpy and destructive. I don’t
like that, either though, having to always figure out something for you to do.
I want play to be organic for you as this is even more of a learning time than
reciting ABCs or colors. We are both getting better at this, though. You are
better at playing and finding things to entertain yourself, and I am getting
better at realizing when you are at a loss. You tend to become antsy,
destructive, and ornery, and now that I have realized it, I can quickly grab
some markers and paper or pull out your puzzles to help curb that attitude. It
works like a charm.
Last week, when I was bringing you to daycare, I had you in
my arms and was about to go in the building. You pointed up and asked “What’s
that?” I stopped to see what you were pointing at. It was the moon, shining so
brightly at 7:30 a.m. and making the snow shine like crystals. I told you it is
the moon. You grinned and said, “Ooooooh…. Hi, moon!” and waved to it. I almost
couldn’t bear to leave you at daycare. I am reminded daily that this amazing
time in your life is short and I want to enjoy every moment of it.
You are learning so quickly what it is to be a good person –
you give hugs to your friends, you try to comfort them when they cry and you
cheer them on when they do well. You have great manners and a sense of right
and wrong. You are great to help and (usually) to listen. You share and do
things to make others happy…. I know pride is sinful, so I will not say I am
proud. I take that back. Yes, I am proud, Ruby, I am so very, very proud of
you. You are a joy and a blessing to those who know you. I am shocked that
already 2 years have passed since you entered my life in all your scary,
frenzied glory. I think about these past 2 years with so much gratitude. I think
about how you have entered my life and changed it completely. Every day is an
adventure with you. Every day is filled with love and joy with you.
I love you to the moon and back.
Mama
