A Little Splash of the Pools: Happy Birthday, Sweetums.

Today is my baby girl's birthday.

She's two. TWO. t-w-o.

What?! {cue the tears.}

The past two years have been the most incredible two years of my life. Josh & I found out we were expecting a little baby just six months after being married. Ya know, I've always wanted to be a mommy. Kids have always been a passion of mine--exactly why I got my degree in teaching! Josh and I had talked about kids once we got married and wanted them sooner rather than later, but 6 months was NOT in the plan. Anyway, a few months of pregnancy went by and we found out our baby was going to be a girl. We instantly knew she would be named Abigail. The name sort of just came to me, so we looked up the meaning: "the father's joy," "brings us joy." Done. That was her name. Every day, we prayed and prayed for her. We prayed for her to be such a gift to this world. That she would bring so much joy to the people around her that they would see the Light in her. We prayed for love and compassion. We prayed for grace and patience. It's funny how you pray for something and not fully understand it until the prayer has been answered. You know what I mean? I didn't know how it would be like to be a mother. I didn't know how it was going to be to raise a child of my very own?! But then she came. Our precious little girl came at 7:37 PM with the most beautiful cry I'd ever seen. As soon as they handed her to me and placed her on my chest, I started laughing. Not the usual experience for new moms? I have no idea what was so funny. {Sometimes when I'm nervous I laugh. Like, uncontrollably.} But this was a peaceful laugh. I just could not believe this was my life! I kept staring at her and smiling. Josh was so gentle with her. He cuddled her up in her striped blanket and handed her over to me with a soft kiss on those swollen red lips of hers.

As the months went by we couldn't help but thank God for such a joyful gift. She is such a happy little girl. When I see her (which is every waking second of the day *swipes hand across forehead*), that's the word engrained in my brain: joy. Well, sometimes I do admit that the word to describe her is "disaster." When that girl doesn't get what she wants, all hell breaks loose. She has a rhythm to her tantrums:

step 1: run to the couch (or the ground if the couch is not in sight)
step 2: run INTO the couch
step 3: scream NOOOOOO!!!
step 4: toss 3-4 fingers in mouth and stick other hand on top
side note: did you just try that on your own to figure out what she looks like? If so, I succeeded!)
step 5: scream, while fake crying, "MICKEY MOUSE CWUB HOUZ!!! DADDY. MOMMY. JACK. MOMMMMYYYYYY!!!! AHHH!!"

I am not even kidding you.
I do admit I have watched her {many times} and just laughed. How could you not? That's the most absurd thing ever.
She's definitely a girl though! She's a woman who knows what she wants. ;)

Speaking of Abigail's antics....these are some of the things that go through our toddler's mind daily:
1. I want juice.
2. I WANT JUICE.
3. Never mind. I want chocolate milk now.
4. Where'd Mickey Mouse go?
5. Ummm I want nuts.
6. How long do I need to stay asleep until I can sneak into mommy & daddy's room?
7. Is there any way I can take this pencil and write in daddy's school books while he's not in the room?
8. Can we sing Wheels on the Bus 47 more times please?
9. Vegitables are the devil.
10. I want to find anything dangerous in the house and go play with it.
11. I love coloring the furniture!
12. Perfect. A juice box. I'm going to squirt this all over my third outfit of the day.
13. Where's mommy?
14. Where. is. mommy?
15. SERIOUSLY, WHERE IS SHE?
16. Oh, good. There's mommy. I thought she was gone forever.
17. I want to go outside.
18. I want to go outside but I don't want to get dressed.
19. Was that an airplane?
20. I see a tooth brush. I see the toilet. Let's play.
21. Oh great. Fingernail polish and Jack go well together too!

The girl is a nut.

She is super super fun. If you've spent just 10 minutes with her, you know how special she is.

My little girl.

Anyway, I thought I'd write a little letter to my baby girl: {few days before birthday}

Abs,

I love you more than you will ever know. In fact, I love you so much that I actually have tears rolling down my cheeks right now as I think about you. Right now you are asleep in bed (but not for long, because you prefer mommy and daddy's bed!) as you have had a sugar crash from the Coke float you sucked down at your birthday party. You are cuddled up so tightly against the wall (with no blanket or pillow because you hate them!) and are sleeping with your mouth wide open. Your little front teeth are poking out from under your top lip. You're most likely dreaming about Mickey Mouse Club House or Jack because you talk about those things in your sleep a LOT. Sometimes when you are sleeping you snore and your little nostrils flair. Your breath is awful. But it's you. I love these quirky little things about you.

I promise I love you while you're awake too! :)

I cannot believe that you are two years old. Oh gosh, I'm crying again. You went from a very needy and dependent infant to a very talkative and independent little girl. Ever since day one, you became more and more independent. You went from only knowing mommy's presence and completely relying on me, to rolling over, to sitting up, to eating baby food, to pulling up, to standing, to walking, to talking, and now to coloring, running, playing with friends. As the days go by, I am watching you become your own little person. It puts the biggest smile on my face to know that you enjoy your little life. Your smile is contagious. And your laugh, ohhh that laugh. My favorite part about your laugh is when your eyes get so small and your eyelashes flicker so fast as you tilt your head back at a 90 degree angle. :) I love when you have conversations with yourself: "I wanna go eat breakfast. No? Okay. I don't think so." I love when you belly laugh at Donald Duck. I love when you kiss Jack when he wakes up every morning. I love when you pray. I love when you pretend to be mad and then laugh. I love how you want to be with me all day. I love how you give me eskimo kisses and then tell me it tickles. I love the way you cross your ankles when you are in your high chair. I love the way you move your thumb when you're concentrating. I love how you love being around people. I love how you get so excited when daddy walks in the door. I love how when daddy leaves, you ask to go to the window to watch him leave.

Being a mommy for only two years, I've learned so many things about the Lord. I've learned how to be patient. I've learned how to be gentle. I've learned how to be loving. I've learned how to be generous. I've learned how to be full of grace. I've learned how to be humble. I'm reminded daily how important it is to be in the Word so that daddy and I can raise you and your brother up with the Truth. I've learned that if I am not disciplined, you won't be either. I've learned that if I am not patient, loving, kind, etc., you won't be either. You teach me so many things every day, and I'm so thankful for that.

You're a treasure. And I can't wait to see the little lady you're going to be. But if I'm being honest, I'm fine with you staying two forever.

You're so, SO special.

I love these little faces.