Dear Rhys, on your second birthday

Dear Rhys,

Somehow, another year has passed and you have moved from toddlerhood to little boyhood, and it is an exciting and occasionally alarming stage in our house. Although you are no longer a baby, you are still cuddly and loving; rarely do I get a chance to sit down without you (or your sister) climbing into my lap. I love it!

Never a dull moment!

This past year you have gone from walking to running and jumping, galloping, and attempting to do forward rolls. The last one still eludes you, but you have reached a high level of proficiency in the rest. In fact, the only times you are really still and quiet are when you are sleeping. Which, I might add, has improved leaps and bounds! At some point this year you finally started sleeping past 5 am! Now you reliably sleep to past 6, which is a miracle, and you wake up happy - no more standing in bed yelling for Mama to come get you immediately.

Yes, rocks need hugs too.

If you aren't actively moving and running around the house, you are probably playing. Toys are still a big part of your life, but you also love playing with Cora and tend to chase her around the house. Whether this is something she enjoys or despises varies from day to day, but you always love to chase!

You like to "help" bake.

Not only are you active in body, but your little brain has been really developing this year. You can speak in full sentences (although it's still a language that only we can understand), recite your ABCs (you tend to get hung up on K - H I J KKKKKKKKKK L M N….), identify a few colors, and count to 10 pretty reliably.

Playing in the leaves was a fall favorite.

Look at you go!

Pretend play and imagination is big right now, and you continually tell us that you are a superhero; your favorites are Superman, Captain America, and Mr. Incredible. Thanks to your daddy's influence, you are also a budding fan of the Ninja Turtles, or the Ninna Tuddas, as you call them.

Deep in thought.

In January of this past year you started daycare a few days a week. I'm not sure who it was more rough on, me or you! After 18 months of hanging out with you everyday I was sad to not have you around! It took awhile, but we've both adjusted, and now you happily roll into class and are starting to make some friends at school. You are learning to share and not steal, and, although we are having a problem with pinching lately, you always tell us you are sorry when you do.

Snack time!

I don't know who you get this from (yes I do, but it's not nice to point fingers) but you are a flirt! You do this super adorable thing, mostly when around girls, where you cock your head to the side, smile a little closed-mouth smile, and batt your eyelashes. Once you've caught her attention, you either smile bigger and wave, saying "hewwo!" or you laugh and run away. You'll be a heartbreaker, my boy.

See, more baking "help"

There are some definite favorite things in your life:
Books - The Three Little Pigs, Curious George - I am so tired of reading these books that I'm tempted to hide them

I have no idea what this was about.

Food - Pasta, mac and cheese, quesadillas, peanut butter sandwiches, chicken, pizza, and cheese. Lots of cheese. You aren't picky in general, but veggies can be a challenge, and usually get left on the plate.

Somehow, you both still fit in there!

Movies - Frozen (your sister has a little influence in the movie choices, but you always, always, ask for Frozen first) and The Incredibles. You also enjoy some TV shows on occasion: Little Einsteins, Daniel Tiger, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

It's a hard life for a little guy.

Toys - You never connected to a toy the way Cora has to Douglas, for which I am grateful. But you do love your Pirate Ship, Cora's Anna doll (from Frozen), cars and trucks, and playing catch.

Recently you've gone through a shirt-hating phase. 

Activities - Playing with the water table, swimming, blowing bubbles, drawing, and chasing everyone around the house, including the cat. You love to ask us to "be Marshmallow" (also from Frozen, do you see a theme?) and then we chase you around the house too. Basically, we do a lot of chasing.

Shoulders, Daddy, shoulders!

All in all, it has been a wonderful year, full of changes and fun. We all love you and adore you, and I hope that, as you grow, you never lose your sense of wonder or your love of cuddles.

Happy birthday, Little Man,

Love,

Mama

Cora's first haircut

For the past month or so, Cora had been mentioning that she wants to cut her hair. She would tell us one day that she wants to cut it short, then a few days later she would change her mind and say she wanted to grow it "as long as Rapunzel's!"

Since I am of the long haired persuasion, I was a bit reluctant to cut her hair super short (read: chin length), but I have always said that I will not force her to keep her hair long. I will let her be her own person and make her own decisions.

Before, looking like a beach girl out in the sun!

I know, it might sound strange to talk about letting an almost-4 year old make her own hairstyle choices, but Cora is very strong willed and definitely knows what she wants! So on Saturday we took her to get her very first real haircut. I say real, because although I have trimmed it a couple of times and once cut some bangs for her, she had never been to a professional.

In preparation we looked through some pictures of her cousins and of her when she was younger to try and decide how she wanted it. Then we compromised, because I insist that we keep it long enough to put in a ponytail. Mama really does know best about some things, and with summer just around the corner, a ponytail will be essential very soon!

Sitting nice and still for the stylist.

Cora sat very still the whole time, and did a great job! We started just taking off a couple of inches, but Cora wanted it shorter, so we cut off about 4 or 5 inches total. Then she said she wanted bangs (another thing she had wavered on throughout the day), so bangs were cut!

Oh, she was so happy!

Cheese!

A little braiding from the stylist and some spray-in glitter made her even happier!

So excited she could hardly stand still.

Of course, every day of pampering at the salon needs to be followed by frozen yogurt.

Post-pampering frozen yogurt.

As you can see, she is thrilled with her new 'do. She requested to wear it down for school today so that she could show it off to all her friends and teachers. Several of them commented on it as soon as they saw her, which made Cora even happier!

The next day, with her hair down, being super silly.

Does she look older now to you too?

As a side note, Rhys had a haircut on Saturday as well. I believe it was his 6th.

Growing up

I personally don't think I will ever be a "grownup"—not sure I want to be one to be honest—but today we feel more grown up than ever. We signed a contract on our very first house!

Our soon-to-be new home! Door will match the shutters, and posts will match the white trim.

Corn maze!

Now, I know we are way behind on posting about all our travels and family visits this summer. Maybe one day I will put up some pictures from this summer, but this is not that post. This is actually a post about something we did recently. Like, less than a month ago. I know, it's a miracle.

So a few weekends ago we went to a local farm for a corn maze/pumpkin patch/kids free for all play area. It was a blast! There was so much to do and I think we wound up spending almost 3 hours there playing all the games, going down the slides, jumping on the bounce houses, and picking our pumpkins.

Pumpkin heads

Happy (extremely late) birthday, Cora!

Dear Cora,

Ok. I know. Your birthday was over 2 weeks ago, and I am just getting around to writing you. I can't help it. I procrastinate. You probably inherited this quality. Sorry about that.

Say cheese? No, say Cupcake!