2

 Nothing like fingerpainting yourself and each other to celebrate your birthday.

Since all of our birthdays are pretty much within a month we tend to look for cake-less options so we don't get sick of it.  After running down a list of desserts Skyler made it clear that we needed doughnuts, especially ones with "sprunkles." 

 One of the toys that Skyler got was this cute little drill that would slowly spin so you could actually build stuff with it (Ben promptly sat down with it and built a house and a car among other things.  We kept joking "Ages 3 and up, Ben.")  Lily really got into it.  Nothing like seeing her in her "Punzel Dress" while woodworking. 

Skyler, today you are 2.  How on Earth my baby came to be 2 is still a mystery to me.  When did you grow?  Why don't you just stop?  I think that'll fix my problems.  Deal?

No?  Dang.

The biggest problem I have with you turning 2 is that you seemed to skip a year in development and you seem even older than that to me.  And I kind of, sort of hate how quickly you want to become "un-baby-fied." 

You speak almost as well as Lily.  You can identify every single letter of the alphabet (although you can't pronounce "w" and you call it "dah-duh") and a bunch of numbers, too.  You know your shapes, even though you call a triangle a "fangle."  You are the heaviest kid your size and it's no wonder why I always call you "My Little Brick."  You sport a faux hawk because you're cool like that.  And you always have your crib filled with your billions of stuffed animals. 

But those are just little things.  Here's what I ADORE about you:  You nuzzle your little head into my neck whenever you're sleepy.  You always plop down in my lap whenever you're not running around on your little chubby legs (I now hate the feeling of having nothing in my lap).  You sing I Am a Child of God with me before I put you in bed every day, even if you call God "Guy" and you say "hair" instead of "here" (but yes, God did send you with A LOT of hair, too...)  You still have that awesome spot on your head that smells magical.  I love that you give away kisses all the time (even if they are REALLY wet).  You want to do everything that Lily does, even if it means wearing fairy wings (you're pretty dang adorable when you wear those while running around, half naked, and screaming, "FLYING!  FLYING!"...... Sorry if you're reading this in 20 years by the way.  Don't worry, no one will remember..... maybe).

Sometimes when you're sleeping (when Daddy doesn't know about it, because he doesn't want me to wake you up) I'll pick you up out of your crib and I'll just hold you and listen to you breathe as I rub your back under your shirt.  Your face gets all squished up and pink, but you just snuggle away, continuing your sweet little baby dreams.  You rest your little head on my shoulder and I lean my head over on yours so I can smell all of your baby deliciousness.  Oh, and I squeeze your legs.

I love you, Captain Handsome Pants.  So does Daddy.  And so does Lily.  Here's to another awesome year with you a part of our family.