You at Two

My darling little hot mess,

You do everything BIG right now. You love big, you tantrum bag, you play big.

As I have posted, you are really into dress up now. You're also really into baby dolls. You swaddle your baby hug your baby but your baby in a stroller and push her around. You lay her down for nap all the time. This is especially ironic to me since you dropped your nap last August (at two years and three months! Most kids nap to AT LEAST age 3, some until four) and you refuse it unless you accidentally pass out somewhere – like in the car or on the floor - and generally wake up mad as a hornet because you took a nap. I digress. You really love on that baby and when she is napping, you often to tell me "Mama, shhh, my baby is seeping. don't wake her up."

You are a ball of energy and your curls are fantastic.

Your best friends are Caroline Patrick and Shelby Auler. Apparently you and Caroline hold hands going everywhere in school together.

During our parent – teacher conference last week, we learned that the teachers suspect that you are a very different person at home. They described the shy, mild little girl who is very cautious about her surroundings and stays somewhat close to her teacher. However, at the end of the day during carpool or when ever you see your brother that's cool, they see you light up and the two of you I'll jump around hugging and playing together. As the teacher described, this is a glimpse of what we think she might be like at home. Of course, I confirmed. And I can understand what they're describing because in a new environment or around people you don't know that well, you do seem to become very observant and stick pretty closely by my side. I can relate to this and remember being this way when I was a little girl, too. It makes my heart happy to reflect and on and to realize how immensely happy and comfortable you are at home and with your family. For that I am immensely grateful and hope that it is always that way for you.

A little before Christmas I pulled out your class picture and asked you who each child was pointing to their faces. In your class of eight, you shrugged and looked blankly saying you didn't know to everyone except Caroline, you and Shelby. You did not know any of the boys names and you did not recognize Josie. You also didn't remember your teachers names. However, last week I showed you that same class picture and you rattled off everyone's name. Now it's a game you like to do all the time, pulling down your class picture and saying everyone's name. You are much more chatty now about what happens at school and what you do- which usually means you're describing an art project you did or that you played dolls or dress-up with Caroline.

You have also really take into the songs that you've learned at school and seeing them all the time. It makes my heart so happy to hear you sing this week chapel songs and watch you doing the hand motions it go along with them, thinking that nobody is watching.

You are extremely opinionated about what you wear. Your favorite clothes are leggings with anything. On school days you will let me put your hair in a ponytail but every school day, as soon as you get into your car seat in the car, you will have taken your ponytail out and be shaking your hair down before I am done buckling you in.

You love talking about family – Uncle Matt (Unk Maah"), Madeleine and Dylan are frequently discussed and you like to say all three names every time. You also pretend phone call Aunt Jackie and Pappy 10 to 20 times a day. It's pretty awesome. And uncle Eric and "de twiplets " are also in your inner circle and shortlist of people to talk about.

I love our time together on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. I love it when you crawl up into my lap and snuggle me. I love it when you hug me. I love it when you – quite often – grab my face with both hands and tell me "I love you mama "

You I have this little game you play where you crawl inside lifevest, usually, sometimes my shirt) like a little baby kangaroo in their mom's couch. You call it my lady patchy and you snuggle in with me. It is usually to stay warm, but sometimes just because you want to snuggle.

Your favorite song at bedtime is still "good old boys quote by Don Williams and lately either insisted on having dad sing it to you while rubbing your back as you go to sleep. I love that you to have this time together. Of note – in the song at the beginning when it talks about "Stonewall Jackson" you get really mad if we say 'Jackson' – you want it to be "Stonewall BeBe"

Which brings me to: that is how you refer to yourself these days. You say that your name is Bebe. You also have described to us that your name as a baby wasn't Molly that it was Bebe and that it wasn't Molly until you were a big girl. I am guessing you are probably remembering that we called you Bitsy all the time when you were a baby and only eased into calling you Molly after you started 'school' Good Shepherd this past Fall

And alas, you still wake up in the middle of the night. Lord help me. It's usually around 2 o'clock. You stopped for about a month over the past two months but are back at it. Lawsy, am I tired. And if I let you cry it out in your room, it would probably stop. But I figure, you won't do it always, you're asking for help, you're scared, plus I am completely exhausted, so I normally just pick you up and let you sleep in bed with us for the rest of the night. Sometimes you roll over and snuggle with daddy and sometimes you put your forehead against mine and go right back to sleep.

It's so fun watching you grow, my love.

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