Two

Roycie, 

You turned two over a month ago, but the holidays and the start of year sprint (two work trips to California and the month is not even up yet) have meant that today’s quiet moment is the first I’ve had to dedicate the time I want to your birthday post. Your sister and dad are at a Monster Truck Rally with four of her closest guy pals and their dads (she is very happy), you are napping, and here we are.

At two, you are a complete and utter joy. You have a kind and caring soul and a happiness that is contagious. You literally crack us up on a daily basis with your full sentences, your dance moves, and your very expressive facial expressions.

You are a talker, like your sister, and have become like our little family parrot. Always repeating everything we say, in full. With this language explosion has come a sense of confidence to go toe-to-toe with your sister. Whether it’s challenging her to run a race down the hall with you “Harper, ready set go!” or spontaneously proposing hide and seek with “Harper, where’s Roycie?” you have really arrived as her number one playmate and co-conspirator. You’ve also found your voice when it comes to things like, “I don’t like it,” to “that’s MINE!” to “Mama Harper took Roycie’s Mickey.” While you are still her moon and stars, she has started to tell me that having a little brother is hard because “little brothers take things from their sisters.”

You are busy, busy, busy. Always building or climbing or running. When we watch the Incredibles (one of your favorites), you insist on jumping up and sprinting down the hallway at full speed as Dash. You climb to the highest peak, always, and often prompt other parents to look at us when we’re crazy because we’ve become relatively unphased by it. You know your limits and will sometimes call out “I need help!” when it comes to getting down. 

You are musical! I think inherited from your Grampa. You tap to the beat better than all of us and love to lose yourself in your drum set or your guitar. You sing every word of our bedtime songs and then keep singing them to your guys in your crib each night.

And speaking of your guys. You are fully in love with your Mickey, your Minnie (who started out as Harper’s, but she’s mostly given up), your Teddy, your panda, your blue bear and your pink bear (also once Harper’s, like her mama’s). You greet us every morning from your crib standing up with at least three of them tucked under your arm, and Mickey has become a permanent feature on your left hip. 

You are full of affection and you dole it out generously. You lean in for snuggles with your full chest and you are not shy to bury your head into the shoulders of all who love you. You give kisses and hugs and high fives with glee. And you are sensitive. You tell me when you are scared “I scary” and you have a limited appetite for (Disney) monster scenes or sad moments. You feel deeply. And it will be one one of your greatest attributes. 

You are bright and happy in such a way that it makes me stop and think about how lucky I am many times a day.  

We love you so. 

 ...also, since you turned two, you’ve had a big boy hair cut! Here you are today casually lounging at the bar...