To my beautiful baby

Baby Girl,

I can't believe it, today you are two years old.  Firstly I can't believe that you have been here for two years, that's a long time! Mainly, though, I can't believe you have only been here for two years!  I feel like you have been in my life forever and I thank God every day for you.  I have always felt blessed to have you in my life and that continues to be true.  I can't believe I was chosen to be your Mummy, to look after you and to help you grow.

Since last year you have learned so much and changed so much.  You are growing before my very eyes and I love you more than I ever thought possible.

You love doing anything physical, running around, dancing, skipping, climbing.  You are constantly covered in bruises as unfortunately your skills don't quite match up to your sense of adventure but I love how willing you are to try things out, to give it a go and see where you end up.

You love to read (not for too long as it requires sitting down) and you love to sit on my knee to read the stories.  You are particularly keen on books about animals, your favourite animal still being ducks.  "Quack Quack".  If I ever need you to sit still, my best chance of making it happen is to use a book.

You love to draw too, sometimes you like to draw on paper that has writing on it (like a letter that has come in the post), your Daddy and I are convinced you are trying to copy the letters on the page, you'll get there too, you practice hard.

Singing also takes up a lot of your time.  You love singing Zoom Zoom, Three Little Monkeys and the song about Moses, Noah and a few others we sing at OH2.  You frequently ask me to sing you songs, sometimes your game of charades can be difficult to understand at first but the more you do the actions the closer I get to understanding what you want.

You have the most incredible imagination, you play with your toy kitchen things for hours on end, cooking up a storm.  Dolly gets most of what you cook, you do love dolly with all your heart.  I love to watch you breastfeed dolly too, you like to do it just like Mummy, you even cross your legs just like me.

I love that you continue to be one of the most confident toddlers I have ever known!  When we go to toddler groups you just run off and play, I never see you.  When I take you somewhere new, you have a quick look to see I am there and then run off and play.  I love that you trust me.

Of course, a big change since you were one is that you are now a big sister.  I love watching you with your sister.  I can tell that you'd prefer she take up less of my time, I can tell that it can make you sad that you have to share Mummy now, and for that I am sorry, I can also tell that you love her, though.  I watched you today put her sock back on as you were concerned her feet would be cold.  You tell me when she's crying (although, I know sweetheart, I can hear it too!), you make sure Miriam has everything she needs.  You read to her and you try and involve her in your imagination games (and get frustrated when she doesn't do it right.)  You are an incredible big sister.

All I can think is, if you are this amazing by two, and have stolen my heart this much already, then imagine how great you'll be by three, four, ten, twenty and older yet.

Love you baby girl

Mummy