Dear Baby,

To continue the countdown, in less than one month, you will be THREE. Ohmygoodness. I really need to buckle down on your birthday party planning. I think you would be better at it than I am. You regularly host tea parties with your stuffed animals, assigning them roles and duties. You do the same with your little brother and I. You say things like, “Mommy, I’m a pirate and you have my treasure! Arrr! Damo’s a parrot!” You crack me up on a regular basis. You seem to almost be eating enough food as a normal human being, which is a relief for me. You’re as beautiful and sassy as ever, and every day I have my hands full with you. You’re full of energy and demand outdoor time at least twice a day. If you find something to climb, you’ll climb it. If there’s a puddle to jump in, you’ll jump. Your favorite place is the beach, of course, but you love the birding trail. When I drive to the “North End” of the island, past all the buildings, you always say, “Mommy, there’s too much sand!” I don’t think you mean it in a negative way, though. You do spend a lot of time rolling around in it. We recently found out we’ll be returning to your motherland, Hawaii, where it’s never too cold to play in the ocean. (Okay, maybe on those rare days it drops below 73.) After being inland for eight months, I feel so lucky that we are able to raise you by the beach again. I love you my little mermaid. Here’s to the last month of TWO!

Love,
Mama