TWO!

(Photo by Jessica Shannon -- www.jessicashannon.net)

Baby Girl, you're a little less "baby" today. Two years ago right now I was still just mostly staring at you, not really knowing what to do. You were so beautiful and seemed so delicate. Sometimes it took me forever to figure out why you were crying and I worried you might hate me forever!

But you don't. You love me almost as much as I love you. :)

You continue to have the most open and loving heart of anyone I know. You will make friends with anyone, you have an unbelievable memory for names and you really do care so much about how others are feeling. You seem genuinely worried when other babies cry and you tell me that they're sad. You always want to make sure that Evan gets kisses and hugs too.

You are also so smart it just amazes me. You pick up on things so fast and you just can't live with yourself if you don't have it all figured out.

You want to do everything yourself. Everything. You will try something at least 3 times before you ask for help, but you do ask for help when you realize you can't do it yourself.

I tell you all the time that there's nobody I'd rather spend my days with than you and Evan and it's really, really true. I am so glad I get to be here to see you discover new things, to hear your language develop (by the way, we lost "daippity" this week. It appears that a diaper is now just a diaper.) and to catch your snuggles and games (Peekaboo is always, always, ALWAYS your favorite and you could play it 24/7). Today we went on a walk in the park in your stroller and you just looked up at me periodically and said, "Mama!" like you'd never seen me before, with a great big smile. I feel the same way so often. Like I've never seen you before and I'm totally amazed.

Your relationship with your dad continues to be genuinely special. You two really can't get enough of each other. Most of the time he misses you so much when you sleep that it's hard for him not to wake you up! A few weeks ago you told me you were going to "work" because you wanted to see Daddy. Watching you together is one of the many great joys of my life.

I pray for you every night, that you will really know how much God loves you. I pray that I can show you a little bit of that. I tell it to you about 500 times a day, but I'll say it again.

I love you so much, Lilia Joy. I am so proud of you. I am so glad I had you.