You've grown in so many ways over the past year. At one year, you were only talking a little and hadn't started walking yet. Now you are running, jumping, climbing, and talking quite a bit. You rarely ever sign anymore because you can tell us what you want in sentences and phrases. Occasionally we have a tough time deciding what you are telling us, but most of the time you can say anything you need to. Often quiet around people you don't know well, they are quite surprised when they do hear you talk and remark about how much you say for your age.
This year you absolutely loved the beach. Sand, water, waves, you couldn't get enough.
You love to eat! Anyone that knows you well remarks on your ability to put away quite a bit of food. You're a bit picky, like most toddlers, but if you like it, you sure can eat it!
You have funny little quirks that I adore. You love your blanket (also called a miney, a la Lailey), but you really like snuggling with pants. Yes, pants! Particularly pajama pants. Soft jersey cotton ones. Who knows why, but when you find some, you curl them up by your shoulder, suck your finger, and lay down. Sometimes you will find my clothes and do the same thing. Scarves, shirts, pants, and the like. I am considering making you a blanket of the same material. Maybe I should make it in the shape of pants!
Your favorite books (when I can get you to sit still long enough) are:
Your favorite movies and shows are:
By far your favorite thing of all is MUSIC. To say you love it is an understatement. For a long time your favorite song was "Big God" (The Akins), but now you've added "Kneel" and everyday you ask for "Bid Dod an Kneel." You will listen to it a dozen times in a row if possible. Now you tell me everyday "Bid Dod an Kneel, iPad, Duh Atins, NOW!" We're working on you being a bit less demanding, but you definitely know what you want. Anytime you hear a song with a good beat, whether in the car, at the grocery store, or at home, you start nodding your head and dancing around.
You love to sing and will sing as many words to songs as you can. Lailey is definitely inspiring your singing abilities, and you two enjoy singing together. Amazingly, you are starting to match pitches and will finish musical phrases that I sing for you. Since you are quite a snuggler, you often tell me before bed, "Tay A-wate, wock you" ("'Stay Awake,' rock you), which is your way of telling me you want your favorite lullaby from "Mary Poppins," and you want me to rock you a few minutes before bed. It is one of my favorite parts of the day when you lay your sweet head on my chest, curl up with you finger in your mouth, and make song requests. You usually pick from "Winnie the Pooh," "Stay Awake," "Baby Mine," and your new favorite "Den Sings Ma So," which translates to "Then sings my soul" and means "How Great Thou Art." I couldn't believe how quickly you learned that one.
You are very serious about your drum playing. Anything from spoons, forks, chopsticks, wooden spoons, pretty much anything long enough becomes a drum stick. Your most-played-with toy since your first birthday (that's half your life when you think about it!) was your drum from Uncle Nick and Aunt Julie. For this birthday, your new mini drumset from Grandpa was instantly your favorite thing and we couldn't get it out of the package fast enough. You also like to play on a little piano, on which you actually try to play, not bang. And though you haven't quite figured out the strumming yet, you love to pick up your red ukelele (you call it a guitar) and dance and jam out. So far you are consistently a lefty when it comes to guitar. You also like the xylophone, maracas, djembe drum, kazoo, and recorder. Someday, if you follow in your daddy's footsteps and continue in your love and talent for music, it will be fun to be able to tell people how tiny you were when you started. You could play the drum before you could walk!
