Two years old.

Oh sweet child.

I still can't believe you've been with us for two full years.  This morning, you were wide awake at 3 am.  Funny, I was finally sleeping through my 3 am wakeup!  We could hear you jumping up and down in bed and calling out "Daddy! Mommy! Daddy! Mommy!"  We thank the gift of sleepsacks for making it impossible (so far) for you to climb out of your crib.  You can climb in and out of the bassinet without any problems, so we plan on never, ever teaching you to climb out from your crib.  At least until you're twenty-five.

I pulled you into snuggle with us and go to sleep...until I hear "eyes" and get a big poke in my eye.  You giggle and say it again.

"Eyes."

And poke me in the other eye. 

But you curl up right in my arms and snuggle to sleep.  Papa said I fell asleep before you and I was snoring...and you were trying to copy every snore with a giant breath out as you tried to fall asleep.  I can only imagine how hard it was for him to fall asleep then!

Yesterday, you were so good during the hour-and-a-half long Mass for Life at St. Michael's.  So good.

So it only makes sense that today, you weren't.  You didn't want to be held, you wanted to be on your own as we waited for Mass to begin. You would prefer to roll around on the floor squirming before letting me hold you again.

I let you go, and you immediately ran to the kneelers right in front of the tabernacle.  You knelt down before Jesus, and then turned to me with a grin and pointed.  And climbed up and down the kneelers for the next few minutes. Everyone was giggling at you.

Mort, sitting in the back, broke the "silence" by saying "We should be so happy as to have half Thomas's joy when we're here.  How can we ever complain about that?"

And another gentleman said, "And well, you know, he keeps great company!"

Everyone laughed, knowing he meant both everyone in the chapel as well as the Lord. 

It was good for me.  Sometimes it's frustrating for your papa and me as you want to be your little social self inside church. I needed to be reminded that everyone there loves you and is glad you're there, even if sometimes "focus" is needed and that's not a skill you've quite mastered yet.

I love you, little bug.  

I am so grateful for the chance to be your mommy, to be able to love you and hold you and play with you and make messes with you and teach you to cook.  You're such a good helper in the kitchen -- setting the table (and ignoring Mommy's pleas for Type-A neatness) and stirring pancake batter.  You spoil Maggie with bones to the point that she pretends like Papa and I don't exist because we don't give her any after she's had her fill from you.

Thank you for being such a joyful kiddo.

Happy second birthday, little one.  Here's to many more!