Dear Riley,
Happy 23 month birthday! I can’t wait to tell you about yourself!
1. You are counting all the way to 10. Of course, you don’t actually know what 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. means, you’ve just memorized the sequence. You count when you want to jump, you count objects, and you can’t pronounce 4 or 5 correctly. It’s very endearing to hear you count. You put your whole heart into counting every time.
2. You LOVE to swim. We can’t even mention swimming to you because that is ALL you will talk about, for hours. HOURS. You like to jump into the water and float on “boats”.
3. Riley, you are smart. Naturally, your Daddy and I think you are the smartest kid ever, but really, you are pretty intelligent. We can also tell that your memory is increasing. You remember a dog from 4th of July. You recognize many animals and their sounds. You can even walk around like a cow walks, with the accompanying sound no less.
4. You are full of life. Every day when you wake up you are excited to start the day. I hope that means you are going to be a morning person. You don’t slow down until I lay you down for a nap or when it’s time to go to bed at night. You get excited very easily. Your enthusiasm for life is amazing to see.
4a. Last month I told you you would be starting day care. Well, I took you to your day care two different times the week before you were to start to let you get acclimated to your new surroundings. The first day you played in your classroom with a few of your classmates. You met a sweet little girl named Sheridan, and you talked about her for several days. The second day I took you to visit you swam with your classmates. I also left for an hour or so. Actually, I hid in the truck and watched you swimming with everyone. It was so funny to watch you from that distance! You were very cautious and it took you a while to warm up. I’m not sure you ever really warmed up either. Riley, you were definitely not your normal self. Timid and shy is what I would call it. You stood and watched everyone in the pool for a while. Then a teacher dropped you into the pool and you didn’t splash like you normally would have. Basically, you sat back and observed more than anything. It reminded me of when you were a baby. You were very observant and not much would make you laugh or smile. Very serious.
4b. So anyway, we were all looking forward to day care. Not so much the $130 a week, but meeting new friends and learning. The day before you were to start, we found out your Daddy would be able to watch you during the day while I was teaching school. WHEW! What a relief! As much as I want you to learn and meet new friends, I know you have a lifetime ahead of you to do that. You are able to spend great quality time with your Daddy, not many little girls are able to do that. More importantly, how many Daddy’s would want to stay home with a two year old? You are so lucky. We found a curriculum online and your Daddy is going to teach you from that. And for your social skills, I know being around Braxton will help you in that department.
5. Riley, how could I have known how much you would change my entire world? How could I have prepared myself for the love that would flood my heart? You have made an enormous impact on my thinking, my loving, my caring, and my world. No longer am I self-centered, no longer do I leave the house without a 10 pound bag, no longer do I live recklessly and with abandon. You have made me responsible and have helped me deal with depression issues. I know I have to be strong for you and live for you. You deserve so much, so much more than I can give you, but I will never stop trying to give you the world.
You are my best friend. I love you.
Love, Mama
amazing as always
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