Two years old

May 10, 2007
Dear Issa,

Tomorrow you turn 2 years old. Two. I really can’t believe that the tiny baby that was on that changing table in Charlotte, North Carolina is now two. Walking and jabbering and talking and chatting and singing and pretending and hugging and loving.
I love you so much.
Sometimes I pick you up and smell the top of your sweet-smelling hair, and I can’t understand how you are this perfect. I close my eyes and try to just live in.that.moment… holding you and smelling your sweet hair. It won’t be forever that you let me cuddle with you.

You continue to look so much like your Daddy, but several people have commented that they think you are looking like me.
Your hair has started to turn from a darker brown to a lighter brown. And the curls… they continue to grow longer.

You love to sing. You will sing Old MacDonald, or Twinkle Twinkle, and I close my eyes and hope hope hope that I will never forget that sweet voice. Your little voice is like an angel-sound. But you don’t like to think that someone’s listening to you. If you think you could be on the stage, you quickly cross your arms and pout, “no”.

You are starting to demonstrate your independence. Although I don’t particularly like it when you tell me, “no” (and I tell you how I don’t like it), I secretly am happy that you are asserting your independence. You are strong-willed, and let your wants known.

And my, you are talking. I love to hear, “ussat, Mommy?” or “I do it self” (I do it by myself”, or “what daddy doing?” You are speaking in 5-6 word sentences most of the time, and your vocabulary is vast!

You love to eat pasta, and pizza, and anything Italian. High-flavor foods are a favorite.

Issa, Mommy is always here for you. I will be here this year and next year and forever. You could not do anything in the whole wide world that would make me love you any less.

I love you, sweet Issa-belle, my baby girl. You are my everything. Thank you for the best two years of my entire life.

Love, Mommy