Happy Birthday, Dear Spencer!!

Spencer Young, today you are TWO!!!! How quickly time flies! Your smile is enough to light up a room and when you errupt into laughter, everyone else does too. Your happiness, energy, and vivaciousness are definitely contagious, buddy of mine!!

Morning of your second birthday in the front yard.

You are talking up a storm.  Constant stream of two word phrases with some three word sentences thrown in for good measure.  You can currently identify about 3/4 of the letters of the alphabet and can easily count to 11.  You're definitely meeting all your milestones that you need to meet, though I don't think you're the smartest kid your age (even though Mimi thinks so!!).  Right now your favorite saying is "Oh man" with the cutest little accent.  It's really funny and since we laugh at it, you say it even more!!  You're pretty good about please and thank you but we're still working on saying hello to strangers or people you don't know as well. 

You are slow to warm up to people you don't know.  You are definitely NOT a social butterfly unless you are in your regular situations.  You talk a lot at daycare and are very busy there (and not shy), but you are pretty hesistent in other situations (even at church which is a weekly situation for you).  When other kids, friends, or family come to our house, it takes you less time to warm up as you are at home with mom and dad. 

(You've got one down, now we just need to get you to do 2!)

You're a good eater still.  Today at the doctor's office you were 29 lbs 6 oz.  We're able to switch you to skim milk now (yea for one less gallon in the fridge).  We also have to work on getting you to like cheese less as it's definitely your favorite food!!  There really isn't much you don't like- green beans and cucumbers do not cross your lips ever :)  Peas and carrots are the veggies you like the best.  You'll eat any fruit, you love pasta ("noonles") and pretty much all meats.  Tonight we made black bean burritos and you ate them right up- lettuce, onions, beans, cheese and all!!

You've been waiting for these cupcakes for weeks!

You have been soooooo sweet with your "brudder",baby Peter.  Daddy and I are so happy that you are responding well to him.  It certainly helps that Mimi is here helping for 10 days so you are getting tons of attention.  You give him kisses all the time, love to hug him, and want to show him all your toys.  I'm hoping this continues once we are settled into normal life with no visitors.

You are really upset that mommy can't lift you up but you understand that mommy has band-aids from when baby Peter was born.  It's going to be a longggggg two months, kiddo.  I already miss holding you and picking you up like crazy.  It's probably harder on me than it is on you, but I do know that it's hard for you to understand.

You're a great kid, buddy, and we're lucky parents.  You have your moments (ahhhhhh.......two.  I've heard it gets worse at 3, lucky mommy!!!) and I'm sure we'll have some discipline issues in the next year, but, honestly, we do feel that you are a pretty good kid.  We love you like crazy and cannot believe how fast the past two years have gone!  I hope the next year is just as funfilled!!