Dear Caroline

Dear Caroline,

You are two years old today! You are quickly changing from a baby to a little girl. Your little voice says new words every day that delight us and melt our hearts. You run and play and jump on the trampoline. You love writing with chalk on the driveway, coloring, and swimming in the pool with your floatie on. You are so smart! You love to read books and sing songs. You can sing tons of songs... you love the "Finger song", "If You're Happy and You Know It", "Old MacDonald", "Twinkle, Twinkle",  "The ABC Song", "Ring Around the Rosie", "Rock-a-bye Baby", and "5 Little Monkeys", but you also love to sing "Sweet Caroline" and "Baby Mine", your favorite lullabies. You can count past 10... almost to 20, but you sometimes get a little bit mixed up. Your voice saying "eleven" is so cute! You also love to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and you love, love, love popsicles!

You are playful and loving. You love your sister and your brother. You are getting so good at asking for what you want. You are just starting to move into the Terrible Twos just a little bit and show us that you can definitely pitch a fit if you don't get what you want, but we still love you anyway.

You are such a joy to all of us. You make us smile and laugh and play every day. I try to stop and really soak you in all the time... to remember how your hair smells in the sun, the softness of your chubby cheeks and hands, the curve of your sweet little lips and nose. I savor the feel of your arms around my neck and your kisses, the weight of your little body on my hip,  and on the rare occasions that you actually lay your head down on my shoulder I try to tuck that feeling away to last forever. You are changing every single day. Getting bigger, getting stronger, getting taller, getting slimmer, learning new things, becoming more independent. I don't take as many pictures as I should. I definitely don't take as much video as I should. And even when I do, they are trapped in some digital land... I worry will I have them to look back and remember? We rush, rush, rush, through life and you remind us all to slow down... to stop and look, to notice, to soak it all in.

I love you so very much, my baby. My last baby. I want to keep you little as long as I can, but you have your own time table and all I can do is watch with awe and wonder as you change day by day into your own little person. I love the little person you are becoming... funny, loving, caring. I am excited to see what you will become and I pray for you each day as you learn and grow.

I am so happy to be your mommy. You make me so happy, Caroline! Have the best birthday ever!

Love,
Mommy