2 year old – Angel Wheeler

Eleanor’s 2nd bday letter

Dear Eleanor,

Happy 2nd birthday my precious one! You and me, we stayed up past our bedtime last night, you snuggled on my shoulder, and watched videos of your little life. There you were blowing out your candles, and there you were showing me how high you could jump, squatting low and raising up but your toes never left the ground. There you were reading a book and announcing “God loves me” at the end because you had been read it so often you knew that’s what it said. As we watched these videos, I couldn’t help but get a little sad. It just seems like yesterday and so long ago at the same time and I fear I didn’t pay enough attention yo all those little moments that have passed us by. It’s a mom thing. One day, you’ll understand what I’m trying to say.

You are growing up and being shaped by the world around you and I can only pray that I am being the mom you need.

You live life to the fullest. You are smart, determined, headstrong, and dare I say bossy? These sound like bad traits but they are not! You are a force to be reckoned with and steered in the right direction, you can do and will do amazing things with those traits.

You are also friendly, compassionate, empathetic, and so very playful. You love to laugh and make others laugh. You are a bit of a TV junkie and you go through obsessions where we watch the same thing over and over until you are ready to move on. So far, it’s been The Wiggles, CoCoMeLoN, Winnie the Pooh, Monsters Inc., Luca and now you are into The Good Dinosaur.

You are one of those kids who loves to carry around a teddy or a baby doll all the time and sleep with one too. You are a big talker…lots of vocabulary and can communicate all you need, you are a potty training school drop out but we’ll try again later, it’s ok. Sometimes I think I rush you to grow up and you just aren’t ready yet.

You love to read books, color, play with your babies and push them in a stroller. You love to eat food that’s not good for you and play with our new dog Puddin and our old cat Rocky. You give them hugs lay with them when they let you.

You are mischievous and a boundary pusher. You hide to poop and hate getting dressed, your hair brushed, or your diaper changed. We fight a lot. And I usually win but sometimes let you. You throw yourself on the floor on your belly and cry when you throw a fit, which happens daily over the silliest things. You still get hurt a lot but it seems to be getting less frequent. You have had a lot of boo boos in your little life.

You do love your family, although I’m your favorite. Not to brag or anything. But you don’t think anyone can do anything for you except me. You say “mom, hold your baby.” With your little arms outstretched. You’ve started practicing manners and you say “oh thank you” on the sweetest high pitched voice and you beg “peeeas” when you’ve been told no.

I just love you so much little El. You bring so much joy to all those around you. You make people smile and laugh. You are a treasure and you are teaching me so much about faith, love, grace, fun, and patience. Lots and lots of patience!!

I hope you know how much I love you and that I am always here for you no matter what!!!

Xoxo,

Mama

Summertime Splash

Do you think my kid could use a bigger pool? Or even one of those plastic ones with a built in slide instead of our redneck contraption here?

There’s not even any room to splash in this thing.

She doesn’t mind, trust me. We’re talking about a kid who won’t even lay down in the bathtub. This super chill girl is more than content to sit and soak her feet. But really, once we put the slide and the ring and the kid in the pool, there’s not much room for anything else.

Oh my goodness, this teeny weeny pool just drives it home to me. How in the world did she already outgrow this? This was last year’s swimming pool, the smallest they made. Because after all, she was pretty small. A one year old, practically a wittle baby.

But not anymore, now she’s a whole year older and apparently a whole lot bigger. This summer I pulled out the little plastic guy and discovered many little puppydog teeth marks that were keeping it from holding water. Never underestimate the power of duct tape. After a few little patches here and there, it’s just like a brand new one. Since the weather was relatively warm, we (meaning EK) dove right in.

Summertime and the living is easy. We don’t get very many days here that are hot enough to endure that icy cold water straight from the hose kind of swimming, so we got to take advantage of it while we can.

Just today I saw a post on pinterest that said something along the lines of “Don’t save things for special occasions. Today is a special occasion.” How true.

Just watching my little girl sing in the pool with not a care in the world for either of us makes today a special occasion.

Maybe tonight we’ll eat our ramen noodles off the fine china.

Home is where your purple chair is

I’m home!

I almost titled this post Home, Shit, Home. A name my husband called one of our former residences, but I would be lying. It is Home, Sweet, Home to the max. Yes, I just reverted to my high school era. It happens.

After being gone for 11 days over the holidays, I literally kissed the ground when we arrived home. We’ve lived here in this new town, new state for one year now and it’s strange, because I haven’t really felt like it’s home. But I’ve received confirmation now that truly it is, and I am embracing it as my home instead of a temporary stop on life’s journey.

EK was sure glad to get home too. I’m not sure which of us was most excited. She was homesick while we were away, and kept saying she wanted to go to Emma’s house. It’s hard to try to explain to an almost 2 year old that we’d be back soon. Their sense of time and ours has got to be so different. Do you remember being little and it seemed like time was ETERNITY. Waiting took FOREVER.

When we pulled into our town, it was dark and she was sitting in the back playing on my phone. Suddenly we heard her say with all the enthusiasm in the world, “OH WE AT EMMA’S HOUSE!” She recognized the path home. We turned another corner and we heard, “OH, YES WE ARE!” Then a bit further, “I KNEW IT!”

We walked in the door and she ran around seeing everything for the first time, “OH THERE’S MY PURPLE CHAIR! OH THERE’S MY CAR! OH, THERE’S MY BICYCLE.”

Pure joy and happiness.

From both of us.

And on an added note, I want to say the weather here is paradise compared to the Texas panhandle. A year ago, I wouldn’t have believed it myself. What? The mountains? Isn’t it cold there? But I have become a believer. It’s funny, many of the locals around here THINK it’s cold and I want to tell them to go visit Pampa, Texas for a few days and then come back. I think they’ll be singing a different tune.

Me? I’m staying home.