Happy second birthday sweet Nadia rose. It feels like it was just the other day when your dad announced you were a healthy girl, and yet it’s hard to remember our home without you in it. It feels like we have gotten to rediscovered the little joys of life with you this year. The simple pleasure of savoring favorite foods: yoyo (yogurt), berries, cheese, noo-noos (noodles), walking outside, blowing bubbles, listening to favorite stories, and getting drenched by the garden hose. You truly are happiest playing outside or reading a big stacks of books. Sometimes we get sick of reading the same books, but I’m amazed by how many of your books you are starting to memorize. You are so smart!
After many endless nights of singing and rocking you to sleep, you are now serenading us with “baby shark,” “twinkle twinkle” and “row, row, row your boat.” One of these days maybe you won’t freeze up when I try to take a video of you singing. When you’re not singing, you love telling us about everything you see. This summer has been an explosion of language, and it’s so awesome to hear you talk!
The last couple of months, you have made it your job to take care of your baby doll. It’s so sweet watching you bring toys to your baby or tuck her in with a blanket. I hope one day you will get to be a big sister!
You were born in the middle of a pandemic and spent so much time in our little bubble your first year. It felt like we played catch up most of this year trying to navigate outings with a little one. I really love watching you play at the playground. After a very hot summer, I’m looking forward to cool autumn mornings at the playground this fall. Going to church is quite the experience with you! Too much energy to be contained in one pew- you love to run up to the alter or play peekaboo in the doorway to the choir staircase. Now that you’re talking sometimes you say “yay” at the end of a prayer and it’s hard not to laugh. There’s a little statue of Jesus outside of the rectory, you love to walk up and say “up high” to Jesus.
The beach and hikes have been favorite family outings this year. On our last beach day this summer you had the time of your life playing in the sand and dumping buckets of water. Even though you were afraid of swimming in the water, eventually you discovered the joy of standing on the shore and waiting for the waves to reach the sand.
You don’t seem interested in using the potty yet, but you recently learned the word “fart” and that’s been a game changer. Now if dad or I want to check your diaper for poop you say “fart” letting us know your diaper is still clean (although sometimes you fib). Who would have guessed the importance of the word “fart?” I’m sure you will learn to use the potty this year, but I’m in no rush. Your diapers seem like the only “baby” thing about you. While I’m excited to see the girl you are growing up to be, I miss the many hours I used to spend nursing and snuggling you as a baby.
In May you mostly switched to sleeping longer stretches at night (thank goodness). I finally stopped nursing you back to sleep in June and for awhile we spent many a night having a special snack in the middle of the night. Those were long nights (and days) but I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Most of the time when you wake up at night you go back to sleep on your own and I honestly feel amazed. When did my baby grow up? Do you even need me anymore? (Of course you do!).
Also, you have developed an elaborate ritual of loading your crib with several books, your baby doll, her blanket, a cup of water, and sometimes a stuffed animal. We try to tell you your crib is too full, but you explain there’s plenty of space in the corners. We joke you treat your crib like an Egyptian tomb, no telling what you might need between 8:30pm- 6:00am.
No doubt you love routines, cleaning up, and have a lot of ideas about how the world should work. I think we have a lot of adventures and negotiations to look forward to this year.
We chose to celebrate you this year with trains, because lately you love all things that go! We took you to Burke Lake Park to ride the train and got a train table for us to play with at home. Grammy, Papa, Aunt Jessica, Uncle Matt and August joined us for pizza and donuts (you still don’t really like cake and ice cream). The weekend after your birthday you got to practice trick-or-treating at daycare and we went out of town for apple picking and fall fun!
Happy Birthday sweet girl, we love you so much!
XOXO,
Mom