A Portrait of the Artists At Two Years

Linus

You love jumping. All day long, you're hopping around the house chanting, "Jumping jumping jumping!". Your dad says that he loves your enthusiasm.

The cold weather has made it a little tough to spend much time outside lately, but that's not inhibiting your desire to go for walks. You grab our fingers and pull us toward the door, imploring us all along to "Walk!". We try to fit in as many walks as we can, but I'm sad to say that it just doesn't seem to be enough to satisfy your little outdoors-loving spirit.

Somewhere along the way, it seems that you've picked up some rhythm. During music time, I've seen you dancing or tapping your foot to the beat several times. And you love, love, love music time. When it comes up next in our morning routine, you can't get to our dancing/instrument-playing spot fast enough.

As much as you're a tiny  tornado sometimes, you're also an incredibly sweet little boy. You regularly pause whatever you're doing to run over to me to give me hugs or kisses, and in the mornings you have a high cuddling threshold. Moms really enjoy that.


Veda

You've taken a security blanket of late, which you call Cozy. No doubt you came up with the name on any of the many times I've snuggled you into your car seat with a blanket. It's pretty adorable. Today you really wanted to take Cozy into a store with us (and drag it on the ground). It seems that Cozy may be the new unicorn, though you do still like cuddling with "Corn".

You and your brother both love Thomas the Tank Engine, but you're the bigger fanatic. You bring me book after book about Thomas to read during storytime. You cling to the little trains as we read, and you usually want to take trains and/or Thomas books into your crib at naptime.

Granny bought an Olivia shirt for you that says "Mommy's Big Helper", and it's so perfect for you. You're up for helping (or "helping") me do just about anything. You've gotten really good at helping me unload the dishwasher. I take out all of the sharp knives, and then you take the silverware out of the utensil holder one at a time and lob them into the silverware drawer. Then you put away the pots and pans in their cabinet drawer. I'm pretty sure you'd put everything away by yourself if you could reach the higher cabinets. One of your favorite Christmas presents was a toy broom. You are such a tidy little person.

You're also interested in the culinary arts. Every evening when I'm making dinner, you cry to be held where you can see everything that's going on. We got you and Linus a play kitchen this Christmas, and you love preparing pretend meals for me.


You don't hand out hugs and kisses as readily as your brother, but you're decidedly a mama's girl. With all of the growing up that's been going on recently, I'm taking comfort in knowing how our relationship will grow and become deeper in the years to come.

To both of you: We're having so much fun together, and with all of your developing abilities, our days together just get more and more fun. I love you so, so very much. Being with you is my happily ever after.