Dear JP

Dear JP,

Sorry buddy, like every other blog post I've done for you this post is also...late. However, unlike all the other times, this time I have a really good excuse! This letter is late because we spent your second birthday at DISNEY WORLD! We had the best time making your birthday magical and your sisters made sure to tell everyone that it was your birthday and you were TWO. So, now that I've made my excuse for your late letter, on to the letter!

I absolutely can not believe that you are TWO! It feels like you were just born. These two years have gone by so fast and it's so bittersweet for me that my last baby is already two and becoming less of a baby and more of a big kid.
You have changed and grown so much this year. Every day we see more of your personality and discover more of your likes and dislikes.
You like anything that goes...buses, trains, trucks, heavy machinery. You love it all. You love animals, especially Clifford the Big Red Dog. You love your sisters, especially now that you can tell them when you need some space! You love being outside. You love climbing on things. Your most recent accomplishment is being able to climb the rock wall on the swing set....that one only gave me a small heart attack! You love hanging out with men...granddads, uncles, daddy, etc. You just want to be one of the guys! You love sports and your current favorite is football. You like to be independent and are very verbal when you want to do something yourself. You still love your pacifier, which you are allowed to have at night and in the carseat. You like to read books about animals and trucks and I love reading to you because its one of the few times you'll sit and snuggle with me.
You don't like vegetables, your sisters kissing on you, loud noises (except the ones you make yourself!). You don't like having to sit in the dance studio and wait for your sisters. You don't like being stuck inside the house.
Around 22 months you finally started talking a fair amount. You are now talking in two word sentences and can communicate most of what you want to. This has made life so much easier for and for you! One of your favorite words is "mess" often used in the form of "me mess!!". Usually you are a mess.
You have a very funny personality and you know it! When you don't get what you want you drop your head and shoulders and give me a sad face. It makes me chuckle every single time! You think it's really funny to walk backwards. When you're up to no good I can always tell because you have a little gleam in your eye. You love to do silly things like put your pacifier on your head in the car.
You also have a sweet side. Sometimes you'll get a baby doll and give it a kiss and put it in the bed. Sometimes you'll put it in a highchair and set the table and fix it a meal. You don't play with dolls very often but I love to watch your sweet side come out when you do.
And just so nobody thinks otherwise 30 years from now, you can also throw a royal temper tantrum. If  you don't get what you want or can't communicate what you want you are more than willing to throw yourself on the ground and scream. You particularly like to get mad when crossing parking lots or streets and just stop and sit yourself down. So then I have to pick you up which makes you scream harder. But honestly, these screaming fits are becoming less frequent and most of them have to do with some communication issue.
I love to watch you with your sisters. They spoil you rotten and think you're absolutely wonderful. They will do anything for you. All you have to do is say the word and they all jump to get you what you want. You're pretty sweet to them too. My favorite thing is when one of them cries (which happens a lot with 3 sisters) and you always come get me and want me to check on them and hug and kiss them. You were frightened of them for a long time but more and more you want to tag along with them and be involved with what they're doing. When we drop them off at school you always want to know when we're going to pick them back up. You have especially missed Ruthie the days that she's been in school. She is your buddy who is always around and it has been hard for you having her gone.
When I found out I was pregnant with you I was in shock to put it mildly. I was not mentally prepared to have another baby and it was hard to adjust to the idea that we were having another baby.  Now, 2 years later, I look at the life we have and I can't imagine my life without you. I look at your sisters and feel like because you are a part of our family there is a completeness. I love that you and Ruthie are such good buddies. I love that you have each other when the older girls are in school. You definitely complete our family!
One day I'll go in your room to kiss you goodnight and it will strike me that you're no longer a little boy. One day you won't want to hold my hand when you walk beside me. One day I'll turn around and you'll be headed to college. One day some woman will pass inspection by your sisters (and I'm pretty sure they will have very high standards!) and love you despite the fact that you still expect someone to wipe your nose for you (because your sisters do it for you). One day you'll have a family of your own. I pray that these days don't come too fast. I want to hold on to the last of your baby days just a little big longer. I want to hold your little hand for just a little big longer and smell your sweet baby smell.  I tell you a lot that you're my little buddy and I hope you remember that no matter how grown up you get you'll always be my baby and my little buddy!

I love you JP and I can't wait to see what fun adventures we have together this year!

Love,
Mommy

2015

2016