Dear Hadley,

Last week you turned twenty-five months old. You have only been two for a little over a month and I feel like you have it mastered. I would never say you are “terrible” as the two’s are often described, but I certainly understand why some people do. You wear your feelings on your sleeve and we are constantly riding an emotional roller coaster that quickly goes from complete happiness to utter devastation, then rounds the corner to stubbornness sprinkled with rage and eases gently back to blissful content. In fact just the other day you were throwing a sitcom-esque fit and stomping your feet in anger. You were shouting, “Too tiny! TOO TINY!” When I asked you what was too tiny, you looked at me in disbelief and said, “ME!”

As you want to express your new-found independence, more and more we are finding ourselves at a battle of wills as you want to “do it by myself” and I want you to, say, hold my hand to safely cross the street (shocking, I know). I understand that you want to show me what a big girl you are, and when it’s safe (and we have the extra 20 minutes required for you to actually put your pants on by yourself) I am more than happy to let you.

You are also not afraid to tell it like it is. Kids don’t have a censor button like adults (thank goodness because you wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining!) and so if you think it, then you say it. I will be flipping through the radio stations and you will tell me, “No like it.” over and over until I find one that you actually enjoy (like your father, you are quite fond of Christmas music). But I can forget about singing along because whenever I do you are quick to tell me, “No singin’ Mama. I no like it.”

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all struggles and emotional outbursts. In fact you have become our family cheerleader. You are always clapping and telling us what a good job we are doing. Last week we were driving to playgroup when you suddenly started clapping and shouting, “Yeah!” Thinking you were just realizing where we were going I said, “Do you recognize where we are?” You paused and looked at me with a confused expression and said, “No.” So I asked why you were clapping and you got all excited again and said, “Good driving, Mama! Yeah!”

You are also incredibly sweet and polite. You are always trying to hug your friends or hold hands as you walk along together. You also have amazing manners for a two-year-old. You are always saying “p’ease” and “t’ank you.” And while I think is to be expected from most kiddos your age, you are the only child I know that says, “T’ank you, Mama. T’ank you.” when I simply change your diaper.

There are so many things you say that just crack me up.  You have recently started referring to Ana as “Sissy-Poo” and while I have no idea where this came from, I simply cannot help but smile when I hear it. You have also adopted Ana’s nickname for your dad and when you are being extra sweet (or want something), you refer to him as “Daddy-o.” (I’ll try not to be offended that you don’t have a pet name for me, but simply oscillate between Mama and Mom.)

Hadley, you are such a wonderful little girl. I just love to be around you and I marvel each day at how quickly you are growing into such a little lady. When you aren’t click-clacking around the house in tiny dress-up high heels you can often be found “doctoring” your baby dolls. You are so nurturing and kind that I can’t help but graviate towards you. Thank you for being amazing, perfect, and most importantly, mine!

All my love,

Mama