Our baby is TWO!

Miss Ava, you turned two yesterday, and your Daddy and I are just bursting with love for you. I know when you are little, you won't understand this sentiment at all. And when you are older, you are going to think that it is the lamest sentiment of all, because we couldn't actually burst because we love you. And I hate that I am going to say this, because it makes me seem far too old, but I am now certain that you will only understand how it feels when you have a little girl of your own, or perhaps a little boy too, but I only know for sure that you will feel it when you have a little girl.

Ava, I wish I could put it into words how amazing we think everything you do is. I need to constantly check in with myself to make sure that the things that you are doing are actually ok, and that I'm not blinded by all your cuteness and lovableness and letting you be a little terror of a child. I don't want to be one of those parents who thinks that their child can do no wrong and just doesn't see all the things that other people do. But darling girl, despite my regular reality-checks with myself, I really am convinced that you are the perfect child. And if not the "perfect" child, certainly the perfect child for us.

I have been writing to you monthly, and sometimes more, since you were born, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't want to forget anything that you do, or a single moment of the little person that you are becoming, right before our eyes. And I want you to be able to read these little posts when you are older, and more able to understand how we could ACTUALLY burst with love and pride!

Here are some of my "tops" of what I love about my two year old, what I love about you, sweet girl.

* I LOVE how funny you are Ava. You crack us all up, and what is more fun is that you now know it. You now know what you can do to make us laugh (whether you should be doing it or not), and you will do it until we are in stitches. You won't stop a moment sooner.

* Our little girl, you have developed an adorable and wonderful imagination. Your mind does not rest, at any moment, and even when you are sleeping you are talking out loud about your television friends. Last night it was Daniel Tiger, and he was obviously doing something that you did not agree with. I love that even your cartoon idols can irk you in your dreams. You love Dora the Explorer; a love that was spurred on when your Mommy brought home a 12-pack or Dora readers. Dora likes to collect stars from the sky and put then in her star pocket, and you have started to do the same. You find stars everywhere. You find them on the window in the car, you find them under the coffee table, and you find them in your wagon, and when you find your "attend" (which is actually pronounced PREtend) stars, you put them in your pocket, Mommy's pockets, and Daddy's pockets. We feel so lucky to be a part of the wonderful stories your mind creates.
You "attend" to pick up water, and pieces of the floor, and window, and give them to us to deal with as you see fit. Sometimes you would like us to eat them, sometimes you would like us to put them in our ear, and because we are your parents, we happily oblige.

* I love how sweet you are Ava. You have your moments when you do not want to say goodbye or hello, when you do not want to give hugs or to pick up your toys or eat your food. You have your moments, as all people do, when you just really don't want to do something, but these moments are so few in comparison to the moments when your actions and intentions are just the sweetest. You have your moments, so special, when you just want a hug. When you will curl up in our laps or lay on our chest, and just be. Those moments are only matched by the ones when we are carrying you somewhere and go to put you down and you tighten up your legs and your arms and lay your head on our shoulders. Sometimes, when we try to put you down after you have had your extra snuggle, you squeeze your legs tight all the way down, until you are at our feet, legs wrapped tight.

* Darling girl, your sweet, sweet voice MELTS me! When we do something you love, like "smooth road, rough road, pot hole," and you say "again-again-a," I wouldn't dream of stopping, because I live for hearing you say those cute words!
Boy oh boy, do you like to sing! Usually we know what you are seeing, but sometimes we don't, and it sounds just as perfect. Your favourite still is to sing any one word to the tune of "twinkle twinkle." So you call if the Mommy Song if you use the word "mommy" on repeat to the whole tune of twinkle, or the Daddy song if that is the word you choose. And for about 6 months, maybe more, when we change your shirt, your Mommy sings "arms up, baby arms up, give me your arms, gimme gimme your arms, gimme gimme," and now she sings it. Your voice darling girl, is perfect, and if it weren't strange to be a 16 year old with a 2 year-olds voice, I would wish that it would never change.

Darling girl, we love you to the moon and back.