TWO!

Dear Nate,

It is amazing to this mama how two years can go by in the blink of an eye.  I feel like we just got you, but also that we have always had you.  You have completed our little family, and every day I am thankful for sweet, wonderful you.

You are such a fun little guy to be around. People have always commented on what a happy baby you are, you just seem to love life in general. As a little thing, you were always laughing, and generally pretty content. You laugh all the time, and lately have decided you are a "bad guy". You and Ben play Batman for several hours a day, and you always want to be the bad guy. We love how you make one guy go up to another and say, "what's up?" It's usually, "what's up Batman?". For some reason, that is just so funny

We had your birthday party about a month before your birthday (it was a joint party for you and your brother). You all had a Batman cake and you insisted that it was Batman's birthday, and sometimes Ben's-but never yours. I think we have finally convinced you that you had a birthday, because you have been telling everyone, "I this many" for a few days. You try to hold up your pointer and middle fingers in a v, but you can't keep the thumb down, so it looks a little crazy. But you are cute enough to pull it off.

You must be growing, because you are always hungry.  You are a pretty good eater, and will try most things.  You're not a big fan of odd textures though.  (ground beef, for example, usually gets spit out).  Some mornings, you are in the pantry, bringing innapropriate things out to eat quite a few times.  And your 2 obsessions are "feeze po'sicles" (those little popsicles in the clear tube) and "a-pops"  (lollipops).  The lollipop thing started on our Minnesota trip.  We had them for the flight, to help you and Ben equalize your ears, and now you ask for a-pops many, many times a day.

You are a pretty well traveled little guy.  Just in the last year, you have been to the beach in the Outer Banks, to Virginia, to Canada during the Olympics, and to Minnesota.  Not bad for a 2 year old.  Luckily for us all, you are a fairly easy going kid and being away from home doesn't bother you.

We tease that you are our Sweet and Salty kid.  You are one of the sweetest, most affectionate 2 year olds. You are very quick to give hugs and kisses, you even sneak up and kiss us quite often-always with the best smoochie sound.  You also have a very quick temper.  You get mad pretty easily, and because your speech is still pretty limited, you can get frustrated-which unfortunately results in you biting us from time to time.  Ben is usually your victim, but Daddy and I are not safe from your little vampire fangs.  You have also been known to throw a mighty tantrum.  You usually know just want you want and are not at all pleased when it is not forthcoming.  Luckily for us, this seems to be getting much better lately.

I can't believe that you start preschool next week.  You are going to be in the 2 year old class in the same school as your brother.  I can't wait to see how you do and hear about all the new friends you will make.  Now, when you see pictures of kids you know, you get excited and yell, "that's my friend".  I know you'll love getting to know some new friends at school.

Taters,

Mommy and Daddy and Ben love you to pieces!