Shoes, fleece, and words

Luke,

You are almost two already.  These almost two years have just flown by, and I can hardly believe how many words you know already.  You have always spent some extra quiet time in the middle of the day awake, exploring in your crib.  Lately, I hear you practicing phrases you hear during the day. "Not gonna do that!" you say.  Or "I love you Mommy" (which, of course, is my favorite).  You are growing up.  Here's what I want to remember about who you are today.

You love wearing shoes and jacket.  Especially fleece jackets.  Even when you're eating dinner.  "Shoes ON Mommy!" you shout.  I think you like to travel, and you want to be ready to go just in case a door opens.  You've got places to be, for sure.

You like hugs and to be held and to share.  You like applesauce and clementines and oatmeal.  You can name every kid in your whole toddler room at school.  Your favorite song is "The Wheels On The Bus", followed closely by "Rude" by Magic. You say please and thank you and I love you. You can count to ten, identify letters and shapes, and you steal my heart all day long with your tiny but forceful voice.

You're learning to do things yourself, but you're not very coordinated yet.  That makes it really hard to do simple things, like put a shirt on or brush your teeth.  You get frustrated and you hit, sometimes. But when you realize that you hurt someone or something, your face softens instantly and your hand softens too.  Your will is strong, and your heart is soft.

I love these things about you.  I can't wait to get to know you more.

Love,
Mom