Jonah, I originally thought I'd stop these updates for you at your second birthday. But honestly, I kind of miss doing them. I don't think I'll be able to keep up with them monthly, but I thought an update at your half birthday might be nice.
Because I really don't want to forget this stage.
Ever.
I don't want to forget how you love to play "batman" - a game you invented in which you either demand that Daddy throws you onto the bed over and over, or you jump and flop around all by yourself. You ask to play it several times a day and I love the simple pleasure you derive from it.
I also have to remember how EXCITED you were to put up the tree this year. Oh my goodness. You talked every morning about the "giant tree" in the living room and had to go see it every night before bed. You also asked to "go see the star" multiple times a day, which meant you wanted me to hold you up so you could get a better look.
You love to dance. You like it when we play music and all dance together as a family. Mostly your dancing lately means lots of jumping and spinning and it makes us all laugh and brings us so much joy. We LOVE watching you have fun.
I want to remember how you are starting to figure out how to extend our bedtime routine as much as possible. You want to read EVERY book and say "good night" to Beesly and Mama and Daddy and Baby Gideon and any other blessed thing you can think of. Sometimes it's adorable and endearing, and sometimes it makes us want to pull our hair out. But I know that all too soon bedtime will be a non-event. So I'll choose to savor this sweet moments of parading around the house looking for a certain book or person or toy to finish out our day.
You love to read lately. You're starting to "read" more and more by yourself - you'll grab a book and make things up. Sometimes you'll just name the objects on the page. Sometimes you'll make up a story yourself and sometimes {when it's one we've read} you'll recite the parts you remember. I love that you love to read and I have to stop myself from buying you every darn book on the planet.
I want to remember the way you talk. I want to remember your favorite phrases and how you pronounce certain things. I love the way you say "Come sit, Mama! Come sit!" as you pat the ground next to you. The way you pronounce Gideon's name {Bay-bee Ge-yun. every time} always brings a smile to my face. I love that you always say "is not working!" whenever something doesn't do what you'd like it to and I doubly love that whenever I actually NEED to say "it's not working," I hear your little voice in my head. I want to remember that macaroni and cheese is called "monkey cheese" in our house and that you have a special name for all of the movies you enjoy {"Up" - Balloons. "Monsters Inc." - Monsters and Mike. "Cars" - Cars and Mater. "Wall-e" - Movie Robot.}. I love that we've adopted so many of your phrases into our vocabulary {home bees-ee now?} and that we know what you're communicating even when others don't. It's such a brief time in which we get to be your translators and we love it. We fully embrace toddler speak.
I love the way you love your little brother. You ask to hold him or kiss him all the time. If you hear him crying, you're instantly concerned {"Mama! Baybee Ge-yun's crying!"} and if he's near you, you'll try to console him with pats on the back {"Is okay, Baybee Ge-yun"}.
Whenever we give you toast and jelly for breakfast, you lick all the jelly off completely. Sometimes you'll eat the bread afterwards, sometimes not. Whenever you have PB&Js, you pull them apart, lick all the jelly away and then eat the separate halves. And if something is supposed to have butter {waffles, pancakes, etc.} you have to SEE the butter or it totally doesn't count. Then, you'll berate your daddy and I with appeals for "more buh-err!" over and over until we relent.
You're a little shy sometimes. It's inconsistent, but sometimes you'd rather hide behind Mama's leg than go say hello to someone. However, even when you're really shy, it never lasts too long. You're too excited to meet someone new {and have their attention} to hang back indefinitely.
On December 1st this year, you said you first totally unprompted prayer at dinner. It caught Daddy and I both completely by surprise. Daddy said, "Let's pray!" before dinner, as usual and you bowed your head and said, "Dear God" and then rambled on in your adorable toddler talk {speaking in tongues?!} while David and I sat completely dumbfounded. You finished up by saying, "Amen!" and we clapped and laughed and smothered you with kisses and hugs. Since then, you've prayed just about every evening. Usually, your prayers consist of you telling God what you did that day {Dear God, Watched Monsters and Mike. Played play-doh. Played inna playroom. Eat eggs. Amen!}. It's the cutest thing and we love it.
We love you so very much, Buddy. You are our favorite Jonah and we're so blessed to have you. You are so rambunctious and strong-willed and empathetic and smart. You're such a happy boy and are never shy about showing your excitement. We can't wait to see how you grow and change over the next few months and years. I wish that we would always remember every sweet moment with you, but understand that we likely won't. And so I pray to make the most of each second with you. I pray that you always know how loved and cherished you are.
0 comments: