The Best Two Years Of My Life

Maya, you are going to be turning two on Friday. It's hard to believe that it was already that long ago you came into the world and yet it feels like you have been a part of me my whole life.

There seems to be so much to say about your second year, but no words to say it. 

My brain just can't seem to wrap around the fact that you are your own walking and talking personality with your own feelings and desires. Where you not just my little itty bitty newborn baby? Ah, it's such a cliche that I know all mothers end up saying this when their child's second birthday is on it's way. 

We have been through so much this past year. You have changed so much and blossomed so much. I know that new challenges await us as you demand for your own independence and yearn to learn more things than ever. 

I can't even put into words how proud I am of the little girl you are becoming. I can't even describe the feeling of witnessing the literal miracle of you growing every day right before my eyes. 

Like the air in and out of my lungs. Like the beat of my heart. Like the seasons changing every year. You exist in and out of every day. There are just no words to even say....

I Will Always Carry You

Maya, you are one of the most affectionate toddlers I have ever met. You are constantly asking for hugs and kisses. You are always lugging around your teddy bear at your side and having him give hugs and kisses too. You are at that stage in life when your language mimics what others say, rather than being used in the right context. When you were just learning to walk you would hold your arms out for us and we would say, "Do you want me to carry you?". You would squeal with delight at that question because it was exactly what you were wanting.  Even though you are now talking in sentences there are some phrases that you still say in the context of us asking you, when really it is you that is asking the question.....and so whenever you want me to pick you up and carry you around you say "Carry you?", when you really mean, "Carry me?".  This is by far your most commonly asked question. On a daily basis I can hear you saying, "Carry you?" at least a hundred times. 

You are in the in between stage of not yet being two years old, but not being much of a baby either. So many times you still like to be carried around on Momma's hip while she goes about her day or when it's time to go up and down the stairs, or when you need help getting somewhere quickly. Sometimes you even just ask, "Carry you?" when you want to have physical closeness and reassurance.  

As a mommy who has two babies to take care of, there are many times when I have to say, "wait a minute, it's not your turn yet", or "hold on for just a second".  This stresses you out and the more I try to get you to be patient the more urgent the request becomes.  I want you to know my precious little girl, that even if I can't pick you up right away, I will ALWAYS carry you. No matter how many times you ask, now matter how daunting it may seem have someone constantly attached at the hip, I will ALWAYS CARRY YOU.  This is a promise that I made when you were just a little seed in mommy's belly. A promise that I plan to keep for life. So don't worry my sweetness, you need not fear, because I will always carry you. In more ways than one, I will always carry you.