Eden turns TWO!

Dear Darling Eden,

Today you turned TWO!  Two whole years since that beautiful day we first met.  Right now I am sitting on your bedroom floor and you are sleeping on my leg.  You have a hard time falling asleep on your own, but if I'm next to you, especially touching, you melt on my skin.  It reminds me so much of the day you were born.  Every time I put you in your bassinet, just next to my bed, you squeaked the tiniest little complaint and asked me to hold you.  Your first nap was right on my chest and since then you've taken a hundred similar naps in my arms.  I love to cuddle up to you just as much.

Thinking back to that beautiful day in the hospital when your siblings came in and gushed over you and your Daddy and I almost felt our hearts burst because they were so full of love, it makes more sense..  I understand WHY we felt so grateful and blessed and peaceful.  Why we felt this overwhelming sense of heaven.  Why we knew our lives would be better because you are now a part of it.  For the past 24 months, we have been grateful for you.  You are my gift and I thank God for you at least once a day.  

Two weeks before you were born, Dad was laid off from his job.  Neither of us were too stressed because we were ready for change.  We knew was all going to work out, but we weren't sure how or when or where we would live.  Since that day, we've moved here and there and driven about a million miles talking about our future, where we want to raise you, wondering where we belong.  Out of every baby I've ever known, you are the most easy-going, flexible, understanding, forgiving, happy, sweet, adaptable, loving soul.  You will go wherever and smile along the way.  You are just so amazing and darling and adorable.  You mold yourself to the situation and get comfortable real quick, as long as I am close by.

Your siblings could not love you any more.  They fight over who gets to dress you, feed you, hold you.  You willing go to them and love being around them, but it's pretty clear that Roma is your favorite.  You idolize Ro and want to sit by her, even though she's not always the nicest person.  She can get you to laugh in an instant and you forgive so quickly.  The two of you are already the best of friends and it's so rewarding to watch.  Tonight after we sang to you (with cousins all around) we waited for you to blow out your two candles and you tried, meekly.  After a couple of attempts, you said loud enough for all to hear, "Roma, blow them!"  You wanted and needed her help and she happily counted so the two of you could blow them out together.  It was tender and sweet and so typical of you.  Daddy and I smiled at each other.  We feel so lucky to have you in our family and in our home.

You are a smart little girl and speak your mind.  There is not anything you can't say, and your brothers love to get you to repeat silly phrases.  You sing songs and love to do all the actions.  You speak in sentences, and use all filler words like "if, and, the, so, to and but."  You speak slowly as if you're piecing the sentence together the right way.  The other night you woke up and came to my bed.  So sweetly and softly you said, "Mom, where... is.. my.. milk?"  When I said it was downstairs in the kitchen, you kindly said, "We.. have... to... go.. and.. find... it!"  That was enough to get me out of bed and make you a bottle because how could I deny such sweet a voice?  You know everyone's names (including each of your cousins) and especially love all of the babies and toddlers.  I love to hear you yell for Simon.  You say it so clear and silly.  Because usually he's in trouble or needs a scolding, so you can give it to him.  You also say, "Sunny! No!"  As if you only have one command for our dog.  Sunny obeys you well, even though she's three times your size.  She can knock you over with her tail and that makes you really sad.  

You love nursery, taking baths, making silly faces in the mirror, brushing your teeth, combing your siblings hair, painting nails, eating, playing outside, running, jumping on the bed, watching Elsa and Anna (Elsya/Anyia on youtube), cuddling on the couch, reading books, taking naps, anything to do with puppies and kittens, and most of all holding your baby dolls.  You wrap your babies up in blankets, towels, wipes, and kleenexes.  You always make sure they are warm and cuddled.  Lately you've been loving on Spiderman and you cuddle him and say so softly, "Spiderman, you wanna go night-night?"  And then you give him a bottle and put him down for a nap.

I'm still nursing you!  Not because you need to, but just because.  You are the sweetest, softest, cuddliest little nurser and neither of us have wanted to stop.  I don't have any more milk, so I think today was your last day.  I just kept going so I could say I nursed you until two.  It was for bragging rights.  Because you talk so well, you will cuddle up to me and clearly say, "Can I nurse?"  I usually say no, and you smile and say, "Okay.  Can I have a bottle?"  As if you know the answer is yes.  When someone is pouring the bottle you ask, "Warm or cold?  I want warm!"  When Daddy holds you up to the microwave, you squeal, "It's almost ready!"  Your voice is so cute and sweet and soft.  You get shy around most people and sometimes even when Dad is busy and you haven't seen him in a while, you pull silly faces around him, as if you want to talk and play with him, but you're just too shy at first.  Daddy usually pulls the faces back to you and we all laugh.  It's pretty funny.

For your birthday today we went to lunch with Daddy, your siblings, Grandmother, Grandfather, Jade, John and their boys.  You got mac and cheese and french fries and didn't eat a bite.  You dipped your fries in ketchup and licked it off.  When it came time to sing to you, we got a piece of chocolate cream pie, and you blushed pretty sweetly.  After lunch we went to Scheels.  We watched the big kids ride the ferris wheel and you were more than happy to sit by Bruce in the cart and point out that he was sleeping.  I wish I would have counted how many times you said, "Look!  Mom!  The baby is sleeping!"  because it was probably close to one hundred times.  You couldn't take your eyes off of him even though there was so much going on around you.  I wonder if you want or need a baby sibling, but for now, we are pretty content with you being our baby.  You make a perfect little caboose, but there are times that make me feel like having a younger sibling would be really good for you.  If it was up to you, we'd have a real baby for you to hold everyday.  You are a little obsessed!

Tomorrow life will go on as normal.  We have a pretty good thing going on around our house.  We play, eat, cuddle, read, push you in the stroller, take naps, bathe and go to sleep.  Your siblings are around you all of the time and you're very comfortable playing games with them.  The other day we saw you push up a chair to the ping pong table and said, "Who's ready?  I hit the ball!"  It gave us all a laugh because we could barely see your head over the top of the table.  We look forward to watching you learn and grow and get some more hair on the your head.  Roma still prays that you will grow hair and teeth every.single.prayer.  If one of us forgets, she will be sure to interrupt and remind us!  It's important, you know.  You can thank her when you're older.

We love you so much Edee.  You are just where you belong and we hope you always feel comfortable and happy and silly.  We have all the confidence that this year of TWOs will be terrific.  

Goodnight, sweetheart.  I love you forever.

Mom