I know it's been a year since I wrote your last letter, so I should have plenty to write about, right? Well, that is exactly the problem. There is too MUCH to write about, and I'm not even sure where to begin! So I will just do my best to recap the year-- bear with me!
This time last year, I remember thinking what a big boy you were! You were actually able to open some of your presents, though you were far more interested in playing with the ones that had already been opened. You celebrated your actual birthday by a) breaking my 50mm camera lens (doh! my fault, though, for leaving it in a bad place) and b) going out to brunch at our favorite local restaurant (which has since closed down). Your sister was in the baby carrier, if that tells you anything. We had a great time together, though, as we generally do when we go out to eat. It never ceases to amaze me how comfortable you feel chatting with restaurant staff. Maybe you inherited some of the restaurant bug from your pappou? Who knows!
Anyway, we made it through most of the year without major incident. Daddy and I worked, you went to daycare, and we made the most of our time together. On my Spring Break, I worked it so that I would have solo time with both my kiddos, and you and I had a BLAST together! We went to the beach, the park, the zoo, you name it. Just the two of us. It amazed me to take you these places and really have conversations with you about what we were seeing, without the distraction of a baby to attend to. And don't get me wrong, I loved my solo time with your sister!! But it was nice to reconnect that week, and was one of the highlights of my year.
When summer rolled around, I made it my mission to fill your days with exciting and memorable activities. I couldn't maintain this every day, naturally, but I did my best! We learned about the pleasures of U-Pick strawberries and blueberries. We went to the zoo, to visit friends and family, and just generally enjoyed getting out of the house every day and soaking in the sunshine (or lack thereof... it was sort of a gray summer!).
A BIG highlight of your summer was when we did our three-day potty training boot camp. I shouldn't have been surprised (since you always surprise me!), but you picked it up so incredibly quickly. Within weeks, you were even potty-trained at night, and any accidents you have had after the initial three days have been few and far between (and usually small). It was a huge success! I was SO PROUD!!
Since then, you have repeatedly amazed us with your sense of humor, chattiness (with people you know), and imagination. Lately, you love to tell us how you want to be a firefighter when you grow up. You go on to explain how you will live in the fire house, wear fire clothes (boots, hat, and jacket) and eat fire food (which, when pressed for detail, is chili). You love driving an imaginary fire truck around and ringing its imaginary bell, and are always off to rescue someone. Or, when you aren't being a firefighter, you are a doctor-- using Daddy's headphones as a stethoscope and listening to Maya's heart, all the while gently explaining to her what you are doing ("Hold still, My-my, I'm just gonna listen to your heart. There, all done!").
Really, just about everything you do these days is beyond cute. You have your stubborn moments, of course, but are generally a pretty pleasant little guy to be around. You are a great brother, too, and your sister absolutely idolizes you (she calls you "Geeko"). We are so lucky to call you our son, and wouldn't have it any other way. To steal a line from you, we "love you a million!" Happy Birthday, sweet boy!!
All our love,
Mommy and Daddy (and Maya)
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