You at 2.

This is you at two.

When you wake up in the morning, KA-POW! You expect all other members of the house to jump from bed and get moving. I love it. I love that zest for life. You’re fully toilet trained. It happened quite naturally. And now you’re pretty happy to no longer wear PullUps. You talk so sweet to your little baby dolls. “It’s okay, baby. I’m right here with you.” “You are so pretty, baby.” “Are you hungry, baby?” We love when you randomly repeat things that you’ve heard your mama and papa say. When papa tucked you in one night and got up to leave the room, you said “I’ll buzz you later.” At dinner last night, music was playing in the restaurant and you started dancing. I looked at you and smiled. You said, “I’m jamming out.” You have this incredible sense of humor that is the perfect blend of your mama’s and papa’s. “That’s all the chicken we have, Gabrielle.” “Mama, I’ve got an idea. You should get more chicken.” You like to walk around in mama and papa’s shoes. You’re a frequent flier for sure. You’ve been coast to coast and over the pond and you love to travel as much as your mama and papa do. As long as you’ve got tasty snacks, a movie or two to watch, and a couple cool trinkets to check out – the length of the flight doesn’t matter. In your moments of uncertainty (aka attitude), we sit together in the Happy Chair and talk about how you have personal power over your own attitude and that when you’re ready to be happy, we’ll hug and return to the world. You get it. I love that. You spend half a day, two days a week, at a delightful playschool where you’ve made friends and learned about castles and spaceships and how to play in a world outside your own. You like chicken and steak and avocado and turkey and bacon and yogurt drinks and olives and goldfish crackers and pickles and popcorn and apples and chips and salsa and water. If we ask you what restaurant you want to eat at, you pick Phat Burrito every time. It’s the only place you’ll eat cheese at.  You’re demure with strangers, but (typically) acclimate quickly and open up to show your personality. Your favorite song is Karmin’s cover of Just a Kiss. You ask for it in the car and sing it like you mean it. And if it’s just before bedtime, you wanna dance to Party Rock. You have a recent preference for shirts that button all the way up because you don’t love shirts going over your head. You so love closeness. Hugs and kisses and tickles and jumping on papa and carry me and hold hands and “Mama, I want to snuggle with you.” Your movies of choice are Tangled and Ratatouille. Your favorite thing to do on my phone is look at the pictures we’ve taken and watch little video vignettes of all the life moments we have captured on film. I believe it’s cultivating a wonderful memory within your mind of the incredible journey you’ve been on in this precious life of yours.

You at two has been the most incredible and inspiring thing to witness.