twenty-five

Dear Maddie,

Yesterday, on Valentine's Day, you turned twenty-five months old. We celebrated with a little valentine and a few M&Ms, which you promptly identified as "My favorite snack!" Sweet girl, you've had no more than two of the melt-in-your-mouth goodies at a time, yet you can unabashedly declare them your favorite. That's my girl.

We had your two year check-up this week, and you were a superstar. You greeted the nurse Betty and had her so smitten by the time she was finished that she was ready to take you home with her (even after the immunization!) Your doctor couldn't have been more pleased with your language and social skills as you sat obediently through all his pokes and prods. Your Daddy and I were just beaming with pride at what a good girl you were. As a matter of fact, the doctor didn't even ask any questions because you just spoke for yourself: happy, healthy and exceedingly well-adjusted for two years old.

Not that you are without your moments, mostly in the form of struggles for control and independence. You will tilt your head to one side and stick out your pointer finger and thumb as if you are preparing to deliver an opening statement in the Mama vs. Maddie Debate Championships. Then with an assuring tone you communicate your "need" for "just one show" or "just one cookie" or as you let me know that you are going to be doing something your way. It is  both totally frustrating and hilarious at the same time. Because I am the Mama, my way usually wins out, but you are just so darn persuasive that it worries me about the years to come.

You have a great sense of humor and delight in making your Daddy and I laugh. You also love to be a part of every conversation, interjecting your thoughts and opinions at most every moment, raising your voice to a shrill scream if, God forbid, we do not acknowledge your points as necessary and valid. You continue to talk from the moment you wake up, "Mama, I just really hungry. I need my bref-kast," until you fall asleep at night, "Iloveyousomuch." It's no wonder your vocabulary is as big as it is; you never stop using words. Just tonight you were trying to get to a different screen on Daddy's phone, pushing buttons and getting nowhere, and you said to no one in particular "I am really frustrating." We looked at each other in astonishment, and then you repeated, "This is frustrating. Help Dada!" 

You are exceedingly playful and are using your imagination more and more these days, inventing snowboards out of paper towels and makeup out of mud. Wooden spoons are magic wands and wet napkins are mustaches. We love to watch you play by yourself, making up songs and carrying on lengthy conversations. You are going to be a great playmate for your little brother and we can already see how you will keep him more than occupied and well-directed.

Daddy and I are so glad we have thousands and thousands of pictures and videos of you up to this point so you will have a record of your time as our only child, and will be able to see the affection, love and attention that was showered on you from the moment you entered our lives. With each day we grow more in love with you and more in awe of the person you are becoming. Our prayer lives are shaped by our belief that God has gifted you with an incredibly big heart that will not only be filled with His love, but able to love others with excess. We pray also that your confidence will be rooted in Him and will lead you to inspire and encourage others. Above all, we want you to know that you are greatly loved and cared for, and in all the ways that we mess up and fall short, God will provide. He is crazy about you, even more so than your crazy parents.

photo by melissa

Love, Mama