Happy 2nd Birthday Lydia

Our dearest Lydibug,

Today you are two years old.  

It's so hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that you are indeed a toddler and not my teeny tiny baby.  It seems like just yesterday we brought you home from the hospital.  

But here we are two years later.  It's been an awesome two years.  I said it on Facebook, but you are an important part of our family and I can't imagine what life would be like without you.  I can't wait to see you as a big sister and see how you react to a new baby.  I'm sure you will be the most loving big sister ever.  

Next week we'll have your actual birthday party with our family, since Grandma Dinorah will be in town that weekend.  Today will be a laid back day doing what you love to do.  We had chocolate donuts for breakfast and we are planning on taking you out for pizza for your birthday dinner.  I personally think pizza is your favorite food, you tend to devour it when we have it.

So for today here are just a few things about you that I've been writing down the last couple of weeks. 

*You still love your thin blankies, like the one in your breakfast picture. You always finds the tags on them and put your fingers through them as a comfort
*You are finally completely baba free
*You are an amazing sleeper, you usually sleep a solid 11-12 hours a night and take a good 2 hour nap.  I wish Natalia slept that well these days.  Although right after that double ear infection you got a cold and we had a couple of rough nights in there, but I know it's only temporary because you have such good sleep habits
*You still LOVE all things Mickey and Minnie
*You are talking more and more, still not a ton, but you are really good at repeating and saying things we ask you to say
*You are perfectly content to do your own thing when around other kids
*You are seriously the sweetest thing, love to give kisses.  You are constantly kissing your dolls, mickeys and always give me a kiss when I ask for it.
*You have the most tender heart.  You are just a lover and if your feelings get hurt, your little lip pouts and quivers and it's the saddest thing ever.  Your little fellow cousin 11's are a much more "aggressive"personality and you are so laid back that when they get bossy with you, you get sad.  It's so sweet and so cute, it breaks my heart some times.
*You are such a good eater, will always try food and eat most everything
*You love to imitate Natalia and do what sister is doing, but you easily get offended by Natalia
*You like to pick out your own jammies at night and will stand in front of your drawer saying "hmmm" while picking them out
*You still love shoes
*You love love love the water and swim class
*You love books and reading, you will bring us a book to read then turn around and scoot your little butt into our lap so we can read to you
*You are still a huge daddy's girl
*You love the wagon and will head immediately for it in the garage even when we are supposed to be getting in the car
*Sometimes at night when you are not quite ready for sleep, you will lay in your crib after we've put you down and will chant, "Daddy, Mommy, Talia, puppa" over and over again. You say just daddy lots or just mommy lots, but you will just keep chanting all our names until you fall asleep.  It's hilarious. Sometimes you do it in the morning when you wake up too, waiting for us to come get you out.
*You are definitely a climber.  I fear the day you figure out climbing out of your crib.  The other day I was getting Natalia dressed and could hear Lydia in the bathroom saying, "mommy down"  over and over, when I finally got in there she had climbed up on the toilet and then up onto the diaper genie to reach the sink.  She had her little self firmly planted on the diaper genie unsure of what to do next so she was trying to get me to come help her.  Man am I in trouble with you!
*You know a lot of animal sounds, and when you see an animal you call out its sound instead of what it is.  Example, you see a horse and start going neigh neigh.  Or the kitty at swim lessons you'll start meowing but won't say kitty.
*My favorite part of the day still is rocking with you for naps and bedtime.  It's just so peaceful and you are just so content to sit there with me while I sing/hum.
*You like to try to sing along now too.  Especially when Natalia sings, in the car it's quite the chorus.
*You love puzzles and are actually pretty good a them for being only two.

I hope we've done right by you these last two years and for the rest to come.  We are so proud of you and are loving watching you grow and develop into your own little person.

Happy Birthday Lydia!!

LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK!