Happy Birthday Katherine Ilene and Matthew Edward!
Wow! I can't believe two years have gone by! Feels like yesterday we entered into the world of parenthood and quickly learned the best ways to survive life with multiples.
Today on your birthday, I just wanted to write you each a little note of the love and memories I'm feeling from this past year.
Dear Katherine Ilene,
A.k.a.: Kate, Katers, Tater. Happy 2nd Birthday to our sweet little girl. The adjective sweet very much explains your personality. You love being around people and making them smile. Over this past year you have learned so many words and have started talking! We were ecstatic when you started saying our names and now you can say 4-5 word sentences. You are our little chatter box and love to repeat all we say. Your favorite phrase to tell us over and over is, "Hi Mama/Daddy", while waving your cute little hand vertically up and down. I love the sound of your voice. It's so sweet but can be so boisterous when you are excited, usually when you're talking about Mickey Mouse! Mickey is definitely your favorite show and character. Our favorite is when you do the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 'role call' from the beginning theme song. It's so cute to watch you dance, arms moving and body bouncing, while you shout out the characters' names. We have been so impressed in your memory for songs. You love singing and seem to catch onto them very quickly. You also love to read books. This past year you have had a lot of favorites, but the book that was read probably the most than any other was, "Aaaarrgh, Spider!" We reread and reread this book together and soon you had several of the pages memorized and you were now reading them to us. The best page and the first page you learned was, "Out, You, Go!" You would say this line with such gusto and would repeat it several times (louder each time, too!) until you read it just right.
It's was an exciting and proud moment watching you learn how to walk. Last spring, you started taking your first steps! We saw how proud of you you were by clapping for yourself afterwards. Now we are watching you run all around the house, climb up and down furniture and toys, and slide down the stairs. And not to mention your bob or trot style of walking that's your normal way of walking around. Makes us laugh! You have become so independent and are learning so much everyday. It's fun to watch you learn the things in your environment. You know several of your colors, animals and their noises, shapes, and numbers. You are eager to learn and share what you know.
Your contagious laugh brings so much joy to our lives and everyone else's. When you hear other people laugh you also have to join in and start laughing too! Then you grin from ear to ear and squint your eyes to ham it up a bit more! I won't forget our morning snuggles as you watch Mickey Mouse, hearing you sing all of the songs you know in the car as I'm driving, the many kisses and "I love you, Mama", the cries to be held (a lot of the time), kitchen dance parties, you going everywhere with monkey blanket, and your love for bouncing! Thanks for being such a sweetheart and capturing our hearts with your loving personality! Your dad and I love you more than anything and look forward to this next year and the ones ahead.
Dear Matthew Edward,
A.k.a.: Matt, Matty, Wiggles. Happy Birthday to our little monkey! Ever since the beginning, you have been our climber getting into everything. You are now climbing up slides, jumping off our couch, crawling into your highchair yourself, walking down the steps, and climbing up bookshelves and dressers. You are a little guy but definitely have some strong upper body strength. You never stop moving or seem to miss a beat ,always observing what's going on around you. Even though you don't say a lot right now, you do watch and copy what we do. You catch on quickly too and amaze us at what you can remember and problem solve. You know exactly how to get from the parking lot to our ECFE classroom, pushing all of the handicap door and elevator buttons along the way. You also know the buttons on the several CD players to start playing your music. You love to rock out dancing, or more like the one legged gallop hop to the music. The first tracks on the CD seem to be your favorite as you stop and restart the music to play it again. You love to help out with the chores around the house by helping me wipe up the floors, sweep, load the dishwasher, and throw away any trash.
Just after your first birthday, you started walking! Of the two of you, you were the first to walk. As first time parents this was definitely a moment we will remember. You pushed around the 'walking cart' back and forth in the living room over and over again. And before we knew it, I saw you stand up in the middle of the room and just take off. Since you've been walking you've loved wheeling yourself around the house on your firetruck. I think for several months your only way around the house was on that little vehicle. You would push the buttons on the firetruck that soon became a well known song around the house. Watching your two little legs run around the house makes us laugh. You are a fast little guy and never seem to quit. On the go, go, go!
You could spend hours playing with water and plastic containers/cups pouring water into one and then back into the other. This summer you spent so many hours at the water table or hose playing in the water. You also loved playing "golf" with Daddy in the backyard either swinging your club or chasing and retrieving Daddy's ball.
Who doesn't love your smile with those two adorable dimples?! I love that in the mornings it takes you awhile to wake up and you want to snuggle, you and your two big circle blankets. It melts my heart when you take care of your sister by bringing her a paci, monkey blanket, sippy, or toys when she cries. Such a tender hearted guy! Daddy and I love how you have your bedtime routine of turining on the music and sound machine, closing the blinds, turn on the stars, and then sometimes climbing into your crib yourself. I love that you are my little boy! Your determination to figure anything out makes me smile and reminds me of your daddy. Which speaking of, you look so much like! ;) Your dad and I love you more than anything and you bring so much joy into our lives.
Love, Mom
