Riley: Two Years

"Ididit!" is a common phrase we're hearing around here these days from Riley. The "it" he speaks of can be anything from putting three words together into a sentence (see previous sentence) to climbing into his car seat and buckling the top seat belt. He is so proud of all this new-found independence. It's a joy to watch him conquer his world, but we're reminded of all the years we went (and still go through) with Holden while we stand patiently (sometimes, not so patiently) by, despite being late for work, as he slowly and deliberately puts on a shoe, finds the toy that has to go in the car with him or throws out his napkin from breakfast.

And Riley wants everyone to know his every thought - even if they're a neighbor, down the street, sleeping soundly. He yells almost everything with great glee, and his little voice carries surprisingly far. The funny thing is, he whispers a lot, too. He repeats words back to you in a whisper and will whisper something you ask him to say, like "please" or "thank you" (which, by the way, is pronounced "taahnk oooo"). What's fun is how he says these words often without prompting. He'll say "tanks" for his milk and, if someone sneezes, he'll whisper, "bee shew." When he is thanked, he replies, "elll um."

Like most toddlers, he loves music. He bops along and claps when he hears it, and sings along too many of our songs, including "Three Little Birds," "You Are My Sunshine," and the ABCs. Of course, most words aren't clear, but he gets the inflection and melody pretty good. While the real conversations aren't there yet, he tries. Everyday after daycare I ask each of them some questions about their day. I usually ask Riley who he played with, since he really only plays with one boy - Joe (who everyone calls Joe-Joe). Now, without prompting, he'll offer: "Played Joe-Joe" to me, which is so nice of him to share.

The multiple-word sentences are a lot of fun. He says "bye bye" to many places and things, and likes to ask for "one more song" and, our favorite, "one more kiss."

There's plenty of other 2-year-old milestones going on: tantrums, defiance, testing and the like. After feeling like this phase has finally ended with Holden, we are starting all over. Of course there's just no reasoning with a 2-year-old, but damned if we don't keep trying.

Since it's Riley's birthday, he gets a special letter:

Dear Riley,

I'll be honest, after just a small taste of the Terrible Twos with your brother, there was some discussion over whether or not you would exist. Let me tell you, deciding to have you is one of the best decisions we've ever made. If we didn't have you, then we would've never seen that sly look you give from under your long lashes when you're being bad - and know it. We would've never heard your loud, croaky laugh as your belly is tickled.

We would've never seen the pride in your face as you exclaim, "Ididit!" for turning off the light, putting the cap on the toothpaste or navigating a line of train cars over the bridge. We would've never seen your cheeks squished against Wally Bear as you hug him close in the morning. We would've never smelled the mix of baby sweat and No More Tears shampoo on your soft hair while planting kisses on the top of your head. We would've never heard you count in your baby voice while pointing to a book. We would have never watched you imitate everything Holden does, following along diligently to his unwitting leadership. We would have also never known the feeling you get when seeing your two boys play and laugh together.

So, bringing you into this world was the right thing to do. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing something created out of your love bloom into a loving being. We are so proud of you for all your accomplishments, including being proud of yourself. At such a young age, you've shown amazing confidence and independence. Your success already shows no bounds. And neither does our love for you.

Happy birthday. We love you,

Mom and Dad