Happy Birthday Oliver!

How is it possible that I have a two year old? Wasn't it just the day before yesterday that he looked like this?

And yesterday that he looked like this?

My baby has become a little boy, growing up too fast already.

Who are you at two years old?

Well, as you can see, you are playful! Whether it's with a stick and a ball, chasing bubbles, laughing in the rain, or running around the playground, you know how to enjoy the simple things in life, an example for us all.

You are smart!  Currently a bit obsessed with the alphabet, you can recite it in its entirety , and almost sing the whole song. Everywhere you go,  you point out letters to us. You can recognize your own name in writing, and like to ask me to write it for you a lot. You can also count to 13--you've even figured out seven! Your vocabulary has stretched beyond what I can count. You repeat and remember the name of anything you ask me. Though I am still waiting for the 2 word sentence that I know will come any day now. I don't think "all done," "sit down," and "bye-bye" count, do they?

You are musical! We sing and dance every day, and you are starting to learn the tunes and words to certain songs. If music comes on, you'll start bopping away. And out of nowhere, sometimes you'll just start singing "la la la, bom bom bom."

You are observant! You study everything, in great detail. A few weeks ago, on our way to our weekly My Gym class, I turned a different way to go and get gas first because I had extra time. This was miles from our apartment, and after many other turns. But you noticed. You starting whining, thinking we weren't going to My Gym. How can you know that at age 2, when I still need a GPS to get around here!? You also have a great memory. Last week, we visited the local farm that has a creamery, a place we haven't been since November. You asked for the goats, ("bleat, bleat?") pointing to where they are usually kept, though they weren't there. How could you remember that after the long winter, at a place we've only been a handful of times, at your age?

You are loving! Even though you're not technically my baby anymore, you still love to sit and cuddle with Mommy at various intervals throughout the day. You also like giving kisses and hugs to our family and friends, and even blow kisses to all the ladies in the grocery store who swoon over you. Sometimes you'll come up to Dad and I and push us together so that we'll hug, then ask to be picked up so that you are in the middle of our hugs. Then you'll kiss one than the other, and then push our heads together so we'll kiss too. Then you smile and clap your hands. Now that's a family!

You are so many other things, I could sit and write about them all day. However, right now, you are awake! So that will have to wait, because one thing you are not is patient, especially with me getting you out of the crib!

Happy Birthday, my sweet boy! You are amazing, and we are blessed to have you in our lives. Most of all, always remember, you are loved!