Colton | 2 Years Old!

Oh little Colton Samuel. Two years old already. I know this is what every mother says, but seriously, How the heck did that happen? It makes me laugh when I ask you how old you are... You stomp your little foot down for emphasis, hold up one finger, cock an eye brow and say with a twinkle in your eye, "Four."

You have grown up so much lately. You talk like a little orator. Communication is highly important in your book, which is one of the gazillion ways you take after your daddy. Your full sentences and more recently your careful attention to pronunciation surprise me. In fact, just this morning you were requesting your usual, "An 'anna'? A 'hannah'? A 'Ba. Na. Na.' Banana. Can I have a banana?" And then when I gave one to you (and one for you to give to Jimmy, because that's how you like your bananas), you ran off calling over your shoulder, "Tay tou so much!" I don't think I have really made an effort to teach you manners, you just seem to know. Usually.

You are terrified of the vacuum cleaner, in a highly adrenalized sort of way, which means you thoroughly love it. 

You are nearly the size of Jimmy and can almost share clothes.

You don't really watch movies, unless it's "'Inions'" (Despicable Me).

You love music. Love, love, love. You sing along to so many songs and it's ridiculously cute.

You love animals and babies. And baby animals. Sometimes you make me swaddle your stuffed puppy so you can cuddle him.

You are just so squishy and loving and cuddly and adoring. Bed time is rough on you because it doesn't matter how tired you are, you don't want to miss anything. You just want to hang out with Mom and Dad and cuddle under a blanket on the couch.

According to the experts, you would probably be best described as "strong willed". You are stubborn, you are fiery, you are vivacious... You are spirited. The heart and soul you possess is a beautiful thing. My hope and prayer to God is that you never lose it. Children with passion like yours have the potential to grow up and impact the world. Sometimes I know I mess it all up and I don't nurture the little person that you are the way I should. The thing that never ceases to amaze me is how readily you forgive. You don't care that I make lots of mistakes along the way, as you would say, you "just need more 'wuv'." And so love is what your daddy and I do our best to give you. Every day, every night. As you grow older the little person emerging through the babyness makes my heart happy to know that you are becoming who Jesus made you to be. Like your big brother, you have a ginormous heart.

You have taught me so much, my cute little son. You are the child and I am the parent, yet somehow I think the lessons I have learned from being your mom have made the biggest impact on my life ever. In your own, unassuming way, you have enlightened my heart, taught me more about grace, and somehow with you in my life some of the biggest hurts have been healed. You are such a precious gift.

I love you, little boy. Forever.