Happy Birthday, Littlest!

Incredible sweetnessWith a side of incredible silliness

My Littlest Mary,

You are two! Two years ago, for the first time, I went into labor naturally. At two o'clock in the morning. I suffered in silence, watching the clock. When the contractions were five minutes apart, I woke up your daddy. Let the record show, in the interest of accurate recounting, he was cranky to be woken up and more concerned with the hour and his sleepiness than the fact that I was in labor about to push a watermelon out of my body (tell Daddy when you behave in such a manner when your wife is in labor, let one not assume one's wife will not discover blogging and that it will not be disclosed to all the land, thankyouverymuch). Annnyhoo, even though you were kid #3, I was more nervous than ever before (probably because of Coco's dramatic entrance). In spite of the initial pain and agony, they were quick with the giving of the epidural and what followed was just about the BEST BIRTH EVER. Good girl!!! You were totally my favorite after that.

If there was a best baby in all the land contest, you would have won it. A happy mommy's vote counts for 4 trillion. You were so contented, happy even! You rarely cried and when you did, it was gloriously fixable! I cried a lot, happy cries from extreme gratefulness this was your disposition. I've probably thanked God more for your disposition than anything else. Ever. Maybe I should thank Him a few more thousand times for the whole SALVATION thing! Hello. But God knew another screamer would have thrown me over the edge. He's good like that. So He gave us a fresh, sweet, quiet, sometimes poopy wonderful gift and I'm sure didn't mind the concentrated gratitude.

For the first time, Daddy was in love from the start. Totally head over heels. Which I was kind of surprised by, because he really wanted a boy (and I'm sure by the time you read this, you will know they told us you WERE a boy). And from the start he wouldn't have traded you for a thousand boys. Of course, a thousand boys would eat us out of house and home -- and the mess! oh, the mess -- but you get the point. You were/are incredibly easy to love, that's the point. I was worried that Coco would be jealous of you, like Gracie was of her, but you were wise beyond your years and thought to give them each gifts along with your entrance into their world. It worked and they were also both in love with you immediately. "My turn to hold her", "no, mine!!" "She likes me", "she likes me better!" Siiigh.

And now you're two. You've been two for awhile now, at least your attitude has been (all gloriously wonderful angel babies must become two at some point). When you're unhappy about something, it must be known. In Australia (g'day!). Including the stomping of the feet, no less. It's actually kind of cute, in an annoying, where's my tranquilizer gun? sort of way. You won't be consoled/held when angry and the same goes if you get hurt and I was anywhere near the scene of the crime. If I offer you something you don't want, something as horrible as, possibly, a graham cracker or piece of cheese or fruit, you scream and give me the "you've betrayed me with a betrayal that tops every betrayal for all eternity" look and continue the screaming until you're sure I understand that you would not care for that particular snack, thank you. It's loads of fun.

You're also the wonderful kind of two, fascinated by everything. Cups with water could be hours of entertainment. Your whole face smiles when you do and without fail, I feel your smiles smack dab in the middle of my heart and it smiles back and nearly explodes with adoration. If we've been apart, you run to me with glee and say "Hi Mommy, Hi Mama!!!" I usually can barely wait to get back to you (I say 'usually' because... well, please read the above paragraph). You're getting to be more social with strangers -- actual strangers and strangers like, oh, your grandparents -- but it has to be on your terms. You often ride in the car without so much as a peep, just enjoying the scenery. You're easy to make giggle with the properly placed tickle and it's absolutely contagious. You're very tolerant -- I can brush through tangles and clip fingernails without a fuss and usually even a visit to the doctor complete with poking and prodding doesn't elicit any screaming. Did I mention that you're beautiful? So beautiful to me.

You love: your sisters, V-8 juice, to dance, books, me, shoes, slides, swimming, putting cottage cheese in your hair, broccoli (that's my girl!), sugary goodness (that's, ahem, also my girl), swimming, Daddy, scribbling, strawberry scented lotion, brushing your teeth, playing outside and to say tatoo or dankdoo (thank you) repeatedly.

You don't love: being told no, being offered the incorrect snack, macaroni and cheese (?!), getting your teeth brushed, dogs, waiting to get out of your bed, people approaching you, booming male voices and having to pick up things you dropped.

My laid-back and high-maintenance Littlest, I love you so. I'm so very glad there's you.

Love to the moon and back and big wet kisses,
Mommy