Happy 2nd Birthday Button!

Sweet Morgan,

You are two! It amazes me how quickly these two years have flown by until I step back and survey all the ways you’ve grown and things you’ve accomplished. For most every phase of your life so far, I have thought, “This is the best phase yet. I don’t want to move forward. Don’t grow up any more.” Then you subtly slip or boldly bound into the next phase and I think the same thing all over again. I’m sure part of this amazement with your growth and development comes from you being my first child and my naiveté in this daily learning experience called parenting. However, I will never forget going through this time in your life. I feel so blessed to be able to stay at home with you so I don’t miss a thing!

Your smile is still my favorite feature. One flash of that big grin melts my heart and breaks my defenses. It makes your eyes sparkle and your plump cheeks shine. I LOVE it! Your big brown eyes remain one of your most commented upon features by strangers. They truly are beautiful (thanks Grandma Schlueter!). Your hair is slow to grow out – much to my chagrin. It is a pretty light brown color that has grown even lighter as we spend time outside. Your bangs have required a few trims, but other than that, your hair remains at the nape of your neck. At the present, I joke that it looks like a Beatles bowl cut. However, it is long enough to pull in two small pigtails on top of your head. I just have to get you to leave them in!

You are incredibly verbal – more so than many other kids your age. People are always shocked when they hear you speak in full sentences – never longer than four to five words, but sometimes you’ll even string together multiple sentences. And you mimic everything! Your dad and I have learned this the hard way on more than one occasion. Even your MDO teacher mentioned it after only your second day of class. I love the sound of your little voice, and I love hearing you say, “I nub you Mommy” which you often do spontaneously for no reason at all. You can also sing all of “Jesus Loves Me” and “Ring Around the Rosie”.

You love to read. Your favorites this year included, “Hug,” “If You Give a Pig a Pancake,” “Guess How Much I Love You”, “Farmer McPeepers and His Missing Milk Cows,” “Good Night Gorilla,” and “Tyson the Terrible.” When it comes to TV, Dora the Explorer is always the first choice. Your memory is also incredible. You remember things and repeat them long after even I have forgotten them. You even can tell us your first and last name which sounds mostly like “Morgie” or “Morgan” “Sheeter”. Long ago it seems you mastered naming animals and making their sounds. You can also count to twenty with your favorite numbers being two and eight. And you have just begun to nail down significant chunks of your ABC’s. We are now working on colors though you almost always answer “green” when asked what color something is.

Your favorite toys are your stuffed puppies, Sasha and Tramp. You won’t go anywhere without them, and consequently they have seen a lot of the inside of the washing machine as I disinfect them from some disgusting adventures you have taken them on. Recently, you have become a big fan of girly things like purses, bracelets, and necklaces. One of your other favorite objects is your Sleep Sack. Once you outgrew the ability to wear it, it became your blankie/security item. You won’t go to bed without it, and you would carry it with you all day if we let you. Consequently, we have two of them – just in case one gets dirty or goes missing. Also, whenever you hold it, you suck on your index finger.

You began to walk just a week or two after your first birthday. It seems you went from walking to running in no time flat. Daddy liked to say you went places in mini high speed. Then, of late, it seems you have turned from running to running away. You seem to think it’s a fun game for me to have to chase you.

At the start of June, you got an unplanned-for, premature move into a big girl bed when your crib got recalled. It blew my mind how easy the transition was for you. I had fully expected a protest and long struggle to accomplish the change. Nope, not you. You did sleep right behind the door for a few nights as though wanting to be as close to us as possible and had a few weeks of sleeping in the crevice between your bed and the wall, but eventually you got it. However, the true struggle arrived a month and half later when you learned you could open your door and come out of your room at bed and nap times. That was an unpleasant fight, but we got through it a few weeks later.

Mid-August you began Mother’s Day Out. I think it was a positive step for you and Mommy. You have thrived being around other kids in a social setting and under the instruction of your teacher and structure of your classroom. And I have found I have a renewed energy and joy for the time I spend with you by just having ten hours a week either for myself or to accomplish errands toddler-free. Only a few weeks into it and you already take off into your classroom with a smile and a quick, “Bye Mommy.” I’m so glad … and only a little sad.

As you move into the toddler years, we find ourselves wondering if your spirited strength of character is just a symptom of this phase of your development or a stubborn strong-will that we will have to deal with all your life. But we continue to pray daily that God guides us as we endeavor to be the parents that you need us to be and that will ultimately lead you to Him. We don’t take a single day of our lives with you for granted. You are such a blessing God has given us! We love you more than we can even begin to express in mere words and look forward to another year with you,

Mommy (& Daddy)