Samuel: 20 Months

Dear Sam,

Tomorrow you will be twenty months, two-thirds of the way through your second year of life! It is crazy how fast you are growing and changing these days. We watch with amazement as you play, laugh, tease and pretend; it is so fun to observe your metamorphosis from baby to boy.

You are still head over heels in love with all things transportation. You have unique sounds for countless trucks, trains, airplanes, vehicles and other modes of transport. Driving down the highway is always an adventure full of joy and noise! My faith in man has been restored in seeing drivers of garbage trucks, cement mixers, lifts, cranes, trains and pickups stop to honk, wave, wink or visit with you, their biggest and most exuberant fan. Any man in a uniform gets a hearty "Hi! Hiii!" and waves like your arms are on fire. The landscapers in our neighborhood now know to look up immediately and acknowledge your presence because you will pursue them relentlessly with your joy, squeals, and waves.

You are such a happy and content little guy, all the time. This month you sat in the stroller for an hour while I got my haircut. You waved at the pretty girls, smiled at your fans, and entertained yourself with hardly a peep. It is so easy to take you places, to run errands with you on my hip or in the cart, admired by little old ladies wherever we go.

You love to copy our actions and act out scenarios. In the picture above, you packed up your basket and were on your way somewhere, waving while joyfully saying, "Bye!" Before bath, you will sit on the potty for a few minutes, cross the room to get a pinch of toilet paper, sit down reach back and wipe your leg, stand up, cross the room, and drop the toilet paper in the real toilet. Then you'll repeat until eventually you decide you're finished and crawl in the bathtub. You are constantly stealing my mascara and makeup brushes, or Daddy's pens or tools, hiding away and employing them like a real grown-up.

You are the snuggliest, cuddliest, most lovey little bug. Multiple times a day you will call out "MAMA!" and run across the room to throw yourself in my arms. You are always laying your head on my shoulder, tucking your arms under your chest and lifting up your knees in a ball in my embrace. You sit on my lap and lean your head back in order to give me the sweetest kisses. Some nights you are in such an affectionate mood you will just hold my face by the cheeks and kiss and kiss until, eventually, you reach for your crib, saying, "Night-night."

You have your sister's sense of adventure, following her down all kinds of rabbit trails, getting into all kinds of trouble together, and laughing all the while. You adore her much of the time, tolerate her sometimes, and shove her away occasionally. You have started to exhibit classic little brother activities like pulling hair, stealing toys, and ruining play structures. You squeal with excitement and feistiness, making it SO hard not to laugh.

And, finally, my sweet boy, you love to run. Give you an open road, grassy hill, paved path or long hallway and you will take off. When Maddie started running away I was newly pregnant with you. I was winded and awkward and couldn't believe how frustrating it was each time she would struggle from my grasp and run in the opposite direction. But with you I can afford to give a head start, snapping photos and laughing to myself while you waddle away, sneaking coy glances over your shoulder, giggling, snorting, that long hair swaying as your arms pump furiously. Thank you for teaching me the joy of a second child, the freedom to make mistakes and let things slide, and for being such an incredible boy.

We love you, sweet, sweet Sam.

Love,

Mama