Two

I started this blogging journey almost two years ago with Ted's birth story. I had always wanted a way to document our growing family and share with friends and family near and far. It has evolved and changed as we grow and change and especially when we received Lily's diagnosis. I have spent most of the past year writing about Lily with Ted mixed in.

I am going to try and devote some more time to Ted so he doesn't feel left out when he looks back on this blog. ;)

Where do I even start? I remember thinking I knew a lot about babies and kids before I had any. I thought that all my years as a babysitter, camp counselor, and teacher would give me all the experience I needed. I thought I would be a pro after all those child development classes and early childhood classes.

I was wrong. Beyond wrong. There really is nothing to prepare you for parenthood, especially those first few weeks and months of utter exhaustion. It was hard to be so tired and sleep deprived, but that's just the physical part.

The part I really wasn't prepared for was the emotional part. The part where you allow yourself to be your most vulnerable because you have to be. You don't have a choice. You have this sweet and perfect little soul who is depending on you for every single need. The need to be fed, held, changed, loved, and snuggled.

I learned quickly with Ted all the gadgets and high tech baby stuff didn't matter. All he wanted was me. No swings, no bouncers, not even the Ergo...he just wanted me.

And now at two years old, my sweet, silly, stubborn, and independent little boy still wants me. He loves to play and loves his toys and friends, but the moments that get me are when he wants me to read him the same book I've read a hundred times. I will start out with him sitting next to me, but it never seems to be close enough. He always wiggles his way up on my lap and rests his head on my chest. This is my moment of pure bliss and it happens every day.

He has a strong personality. He does everything in his own time and at his own pace. Some milestones he reached really early, others he seemed to take his time. As an infant he ate every fruit and vegetable under the sun, now on a good day, he won't even try them. He is independent, pushing a chair all over the house to climb into different cupboards. He loves feeding Charlie anything he doesn't want.

He takes his time when he is trying something new. He loves to build and stack and then knock it all down. If he could have just one toy it would be a ball. He adores his friends, especially his sweet Lucy. He giggles with delight at the sound of her voice.

He says goodbye to all of his toys when we leave the house. He says "please" and "thank you" without being asked. He calls me, "Mah!" He loves his "choo-choos" and seeing "airpanes" outside. He loves "Melmo" and "George".

He loves his daddy so much. He shouts with joy whenever he comes home. He loves building trains and playing ball with him. Most recently, he only wants "dada" to put him to bed and does everything he can to stay up with him longer.