Liam's 2 Year Letter

(So, I wrote Liam's 2nd birthday letter back in June, about a month after his birthday. I kept forgetting to caption the photos, and then just completely forgot about the post altogether. I really need to do another Liam update of all the adorable things he is saying lately, so I thought I ought to post this one first. It's a bit outdated now, but I didn't want to change anything so it still portrays what he was like right after he turned 2).

Dear Liam,

  You are two! It seriously feels like it was just a couple of months ago that I was reeling from the fact that, as a new one year old, you were considered a toddler instead of a baby; and now you are a whole year older than that! You make me so grateful for iPhones and how easy it is to capture pictures and videos of you no matter where we are, but I know that no matter how many pictures I take or moments I try to capture, it still won't be good enough. Nothing can replace or replicate or fully capture the daily moments of life with you. The way your little voice sounds, the way you pronounce words, the feel of your still dimpled fingers when you hold my hand, the smell of your sweaty curls and the flush of your cheeks when you come inside from playing. Hopefully the pictures and videos will one day help me relive, in some small way, these times with you; but the greatest gifts are the moments themselves, and I pray that God gives me the grace and attentiveness to be present in them and to soak them up.

I can't believe that it's only been a year since you've transformed from this little cutie ...

May 11, 2011

To this big man!

May 11, 2012

  I haven't been as faithful in the past year to write updates about your development as I was during your first year; so I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do. As far as the basics go ...

• You haven't had your two-year check-up yet, but during the past year you've pretty consistently stayed in the 75th percentile in regard to height and 25th for weight. You weight a little over 26 pounds these days. Most of your clothes are 24 months, though you still wear a few 18 month shirts. Your 2T stuff is a bit baggy, but I'm sure that by the end of summer you'll have grown into them. (When he had his 2 month check-up he was 27 pounds and 3 feet tall - same percentiles as previously).
• Your normal bedtime is 8:00, but you are very flexible with this when we've got plans and need to keep you out later. You tend to wake up about 7:00 every morning, regardless of when you go to bed, and if you are behind on sleep, you'll make up for it during naptime. Most of the time your afternoon naps are 2 hours long, but you'll sleep for 3 hours if you've had a late night or an especially exhausting morning outside.
• You still usually begin your days with a cup of milk in mommy & daddy's bed, but sometimes you ask to go watch "tartoons" (cartoons) instead. Generally, you're too busy to spend much time relaxing once we've gotten you out of your crib - usually you want to play catch as soon as you're up!
• Speaking of your crib, you are now only allowed to have pacifiers at bedtime and naptime, so frequently you ask to get back in your crib throughout the day so you can get in a little extra time with them. I had planned on taking them from you completely when you turned 2, but since Cora is coming so soon, I think we're going to let you keep them for a couple more months while you adjust to life with a baby sister. You'll still be in your crib for at least a few more months. You love it and never try to climb out of it, so I see no point in ruining a good thing as long as you are content.
• Potty training hasn't started yet, but I feel like we'll move in that direction once Cora starts to get on some sort of schedule after the first couple of months. You act really offended if I ever ask you if you'd like to try to use the big boy potty, but you do tell me nearly every time you have a stinky diaper ... usually once while you are working on it, and then when you are done. You usually say, "feels better, Mommy!" So cute and funny.
• As far as eating goes, I would guess that you are a pretty typical toddler. Some meals you'll gobble down everything we give you (well, except for vegetables - you are pickier about how those are prepared & presented) and other meals it's like pulling teeth to get you to eat 7 or 8 bites of just one thing that you normally love. This spring I've struggled with feeling guilty about your diet, because between all of Daddy's trips, busyness with work and working on Cora's nursery, and just being pregnant in general, I haven't been as faithful about encouraging you to love healthy foods as I used to be. Thank goodness for your beloved "smoonies" (smoothies) that you help me make several mornings a week. You heap the spinach & flaxseed into them with pride and I'm happy to be getting leafy greens into you, even if they're a bit disguised.
• When it comes to your development in respect to motor skills, you are an active, large movement type of kid. You would be SO happy to have someone either play catch with you or pitch baseballs for you to attempt to hit for hours everyday. You throw surprisingly accurately with your left hand, and your batting stance is (I think) very good for a barely two year old. You observe and mimic large body movements all the time. You have less interest and patience in fine motor skills. Puzzles are only fun to take apart, and you have very little patience for tasks that require manipulating an object. If you can't get something to work or fit right the first time, you tend to get very frustrated and want to move on to the next thing.
• I can't say enough about your language skills, little buddy. It seems like your sentences get longer everyday, and it's amazing to hear you experiment and try to figure out which verb tense to use. You are very persistent in trying to communicate your thoughts, even when it takes me asking you to repeat yourself numerous times before I finally understand. It seems like you are never silent. 

  Now for a little recap of some of my favorite snapshots from the last year:

The bunny ears that you used to ask me to put on you every day!

Enjoying some fun in the sun with Mommy - thankful for a baby pool in the backyard!

Hanging out with Daddy after he broke his foot last summer

1st trip to the beach, August 2011 - Ft. Walton Beach w/ the Lawson fam

Annual 1st hike of fall family pic

Precious buddy

You 2 cuties have spent a LOT of time smudging this glass door over the past year!

You & his good buddy, Bryson - Halloween 2011

Thanksgiving 2011 - Sandestin w/ the Lay fam

Annual visit to see the Christmas lights at Silver Dollar City!

So proud in the wagon we got you for Christmas!

My little Valentine

The day we found out you would be welcoming a sister!

1st bloody nose - I may have been a little too proud that you got it playing with a rugby ball!

Building a workbench with Daddy

And reading books with Daddy

Springtime exploring

You have the greatest facial expressions!

Calling the Hogs with Mommy - 1st time to do it on your own!

Walking Jack!

Our little Slugger!

  Little buddy, you are a constant joy and delight in our lives. You make us laugh all the time and you melt our hearts with your tender spirit. Even though we are excited to see the little man you are going to grow into, I would be okay with you staying 2 for a couple more years. You are awesome and we love you!

 Love,
     Mommy