patrick at 2

Patrick, you are the best.  As hard as this age is (they're all hard), I love it.  You are learning so much and manage to crack me up on a daily basis. 

Some of my favorite lines:

• You slide down our slide and fall on your butt once in a while.  From the bottom of the hill you yell "I'M OKAY!!!"

• "How bout that?"

• When we're driving you point out everything.  "Mom, look!  A big tower!"  "Soybean field!"  "Loader/Dozer/Tractor/Semi/Backhoe!!"  "Let's go this way, Mom."  "Cedar Point, way back there!"

• At the park you chose one of the many slides and sat down, looked up at me and said, "How bout this one?"

• The other night you hurt yourself in the bathtub and you were holding your hand. 
• Pat:  Ouch, Mom. 
• Me:  Did you hurt your hand? 
• Pat:  No, my finger.

• Last night the conversation in the car...
• Me:  We're low on groceries, I think it's going to be pancakes tonight for dinner.
• Pat:  No way, Mom.  That's yuck.

• "Bye, Mommy!  Have fun!  See you soon!"  And that sendoff continues when we leave places... "Bye froggies, have fun!"  "Bye trees!"

• You've become so empathetic and aware of other people's feelings.  If I show any sign of exasperation or pain you immediately come up to me saying "You okay, Mommy?  Feel better?  What's wrong?"

• Recently you started saying "WhaT?" emphasizing the "t."  So if I say something you didn't hear or something you want me to say again just for fun, you look at me seriously and say "WhaT?"

• Everytime we pass a school you say "Mommy's school!"

You love your new babysitter and are always smiling and happy when I pick you up.  Somehow that makes it easier to go to work in the morning, because it's been hard.  I want you all to myself.

You've been on a Daddy kick the past couple of weeks.  You follow him around in the mornings while he brushes his teeth, gets dressed, makes his coffee and puts his boots on.  When you lose him in your line of sight you yell "Daddy, where are you?"  Or you'll come up to me while I'm curling my hair and say "Where'd Daddy go?"  It's the sweetest.

At the beginning of each season I always take you for a haircut and new shoes, one pair for play and one for church.  This morning was going to be a haircut (which I completely dread), and I say was because it didn't happen.  I think the hairdresser got three snips in the back before you were too traumatized to continue.  When will this end?  It stresses your Mommy out big time.  She's just intent on you looking your best, don't you see?

Your favorite show is still Dora the Explorer, but some of your new likings include Bubble Guppies, Go Diego Go and Team Umizoomi. 

You can count to ten, skipping three and four once in a while.  The other day we were at my junior high students' football game.  You said "Mommy, number 2."  It was on the orange 20 yard line sign.  You rock!  We're going to start working on shapes here soon, when you show interest.  I don't like pushing that kind of stuff - I think you'll figure it out on your own when you're ready. 

We tried watching your first movie, A Toy Story.  You said "No Woody!!" so we gave it up.  (I don't like that stupid dinosaur anyways.)

Sleep training has officially ended - it didn't last very long.  I tell you to lay down, to close your eyes and that I love you.  I say I'll be back in a few minutes to check on you and within that amount of time you're asleep.  Greeeeeeeaaaat job, buddy!!

What else can I say?  It's hard to remember all the things you do and say, but gosh you make my days and nights worthwhile.  You make my life worthwhile.  I am so lucky to be your Mommy!