Two.

My little Mimi,

Today my baby will turn two. That's you, by the way-my baby. Despite your relentless efforts to convince me you are "actually five", today we will celebrate your second birthday. It feels entirely impossible that two years could have flown by this fast-in what seems like a blink of an eye-but, yet, the calendar says today is February 24th 2014, and so....

Two years ago today, this happened for the first time:

I remember it vividly-your long eyelashes and fingers, your sweet little lips, your bright eyes staring back at me. I knew then that you were beautiful. I knew that I was madly in love with you. I knew that you could capture your Daddy's attention by just glancing his way. I knew that your brother would adore you and keep you safe. I knew that you would bring so, so much joy to our lives.

But there was so much I DIDN'T know about you.....

I didn't know that you would have such spunk and character-that, after warming up, you would love to be the center of attention. That you would sing along to Katy Perry's, "Roar" at the top of your lungs. I didn't know that you would love to dance-especially if it involved a few rounds of "Ring Around the Rosie." I didn't know your party face or the way you tilt your head when you talk or the cute smirks that would accompany the way you say, "Nooooo!!"

I didn't know how independent you would be. That you would be the one to teach your older brother how to play alone. I didn't know that you would love blocks just as much as you love babies. I didn't know that you would have such an amazing imagination. I didn't know that you'd request eighteen different items/lovies/books in your bed before going to sleep each night or that you would love to cuddle after waking up more than you would before going to bed.

I didn't know just how smart you would be. That you would be able to sing your ABCs and count to "fifteen" by age two.  I didn't know that your vocabulary would continually amaze me. I didn't know that you would talk so darn much. That when you would say, "Silly Mommy!" and "Love you back!" my heart would skip.

When I held you for the first time, I didn't know that I could love you anymore than I did at that moment. But, I do, baby. All of these things I didn't know about you two years ago have only made me love you so, so much more.

Today we will celebrate you. All that you are at age two and everything I don't know about you today that will only make me love you that much more in the future.

Happy second (or fifth) birthday, Mimi!

Love,

Mommy