2 Years Old...A Letter to Sam

Our little boy, you're now a big two year old. I wouldn't call it "terrible" (twos), but you do know how to show mom & daddy that you don't always agree with us. But, in general, you're a good listener and don't break the rules too often. When you do decide to do something you're not supposed to, you usually look at one of us and either say, "Hiiii!" with a big grin on your face or you get very serious and say, "Noooo" while nodding your head. So, even when we don't see what you've just done, we usually know. And when we ask you, you always answer truthfully. I know this won't always be the case, but you still haven't learned how to lie...Oh, the sweet innocence. Just the other day, dad wondered what you'll do when you first figure out you can tell us something other than the truth.

You love to talk, but I wouldn't yet say "you talk our ears off"...you're also quiet sometimes if your concentrating or totally engrossed in something. You're vocabulary amazes us. You're like a parrot, repeating everything you hear. Even if it's something you hear in the next room. You say so many new words on a regular basis, that we often can't keep up. If you say something we don't understand, you keep saying it over and over and over...we make our best guess, but you're quick to tell us if we're wrong...sometimes we get it, and others we don't...and then you finally just give up. We can tell that this is frustrating for you and it's equally frustrating for us to see you so disappointed.

You love race cars, trucks, trains, construction equipment...Oh, construction equipment. You can name every piece of construction equipment there is...backhoe, excavator, bulldozer, dump truck, cement mixer...the list goes on. You know all the stores that have train tables, and if we drive past one without stopping, you cry. But now you have your own train and road table at home to play with...you've not wanted to even sit down to eat since we set it up and it's the first thing you say when you wake up.

You can direct us home, telling us "this way"and "that way", and pointing down the streets in our neighborhood to get to our house. You also know the turns to make when nearing Whole Foods and the Farmer's Market...food is one of your favorite things. You're so quick getting to the refrigerator if it's open more than a crack. If I'm not careful, you're in, at my side and trying to grab any piece of fruit you can get your hands on.

You love playing with balls...soccer ball, golf, baseball, football...any ball you can kick or throw. You and daddy started a soccer class a couple of months ago on Saturday mornings. You've figured out the day that daddy is home, is the day you go to soccer practice and it's the first thing you say on Saturday mornings, "Daddy go soccer practice." You can throw a baseball like we can't believe...hiking up your left leg before stepping down to throw with your right hand, and then picking up your right leg behind you...it makes me giggle to see you do this.

You love to finger paint, although more still goes on you than on the paper. You've learned your colors finger painting. You've also learned (most of) your numbers...you still count the numbers 1-10 and leave out 3 and 4...one, two, pies, six, seben, eight, nine, ten!

We've also learned that you love to break pieces of crayon and chalk off with your teeth. I'd always thought you had some strange taste for eating crayons and chalk...until a few days ago. You were quiet in your play room (I'd forgotten that I'd left the crayons down), playing, I thought. But you came out with crayon crumbs all over your chin and shirt. When I looked in your play room, I found a pile (two handfuls) of bitten/broken crayons on the floor. On your table was a pool of spit and crayon crumbs. (I'm so disappointed that I didn't snap a quick picture.) I think you were grabbing crayons, biting off pieces and spitting them out. Dad thinks you must like the feel of breaking the crayons with your teeth.

You're so busy, active and outgoing. Anytime we go somewhere to play, you take off as soon as your feet touch the ground, and you don't look back. You usually only look for me when you want some water. In soccer and music, you like to do your own thing. You're fearless, climbing up and jumping off anything you can. Sometimes you hit the ground so hard I think you've surely broken something, but you just roll over, jump up and usually try it again.

Music, music, music...you love it. You don't sing as much as you like to play instruments. You turn drum sticks and mallets into pretend horns and play the air guitar all the time. You have a guitar at home that you sit down and play at least once every day. You can identify a guitar and drums in music and you usually start playing when you hear them. In the car, when you hear a guitar in a song you play your air guitar and at home if there's music on or videos on TV, you grab your guitar and start playing along.

You love to give Tucker commands, but unfortunately, he doesn't respond. I'm not sure if he doesn't understand you, or if he just knows your not the 'Alpha' like mom and dad. You tell him stay, sit, lay down, hop up, okay (to release him)...but, he doesn't respond to any of it. The best is when Tucker is in your way, or lying on your toys or in you play space, and you tell him to "hop up" (because that's what daddy says to get Tucker to move)...you can say it 20 times and Tucker won't budge until one of us tells him.

You still have a "witching hour" almost every evening. Within 15 minutes to an hour of dinner time, you get cranky and clingy. You have always been this way...since you were a little baby....one of us would have to hold you, or I had to nurse you, while we cooked and ate dinner. Now, we may have to hold you while cooking for a short time, but you're fine once dinner's on the table.

We've been working on manners for a long time...usually telling you when to say please, thank you, and excuse me. A few weeks ago we got you the Karen Katz book, Excuse Me!, and ever since you've been saying thank you and excuse me on a regular basis without being prompted.

You still love to be outside. You're learning how to pedal your tricycle and you love to ride in and pull the wagon. You'd play in the garage all day, every day, if we let you. You also love to play in your sandbox and put sand all over the patio, yard, and Tucker. You also LOVE the water hose...that is probably one of your favorite things to do. We've had worms on our sidewalk lately, and you like to go out to see the worms. Sometimes there are ants out there too and you lie on the ground and watch the ants. You're fascinated with them. Your fear of bugs has gone away. You no longer cry and or get scared when something is flying around you.

You and daddy play rough a lot...you love it and daddy enjoys it too. Every day when daddy comes home from work, you tell him, "boom bed!", to go play on mom and dad's bed. You also like to wrestle and tackle daddy. You're warning phrase is, "Watch this!" Dad knows if he hears that, he'd better pay attention because you're usually charging him or about to body slam him.

You're such a special little boy...so much fun and such a joy. Mom and daddy love you, thiiiiiis much! Happy 2nd Birthday sweet baby.