Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Happy 2nd Birthday Reagan Joy!

Dear Reagan,

Here it is. TWO. As in technically not a baby. It doesn't seem possible that we have been this little family of 6 for two whole years. But much has happened since your last (first) birthday letter. Lets get to it.
You are a love. Always have been. So patient with so many people wanting to give you love and attention. I'm still amazed at your siblings devotion to you. I thought that this would be the year that someone (especially the someone closest in age to you, ahem...) would get frustrated and mad at you because you would get into their stuff and mess it up. You have of course become very mobile and capable of destruction this year. Amazingly there is almost no irritation with you. I try hard to protect your siblings creations to protect your relationship with them, but even when I fail as protector and you destroy something, for the most part there is no frustration. They all just love you so much that they want you to be with them. Amazing. Crossing my fingers it continues.
There is irritation when you scream in the car. Sometimes you just don't want to be pinned down by that darn car seat and you go ahead and let everyone know how you feel. Loudly. This brings great irritation because you drown out the radio/adventures in odyssey and make it difficult to read. It also produces in Camden the need to scream, "beeeeeequiiiieeetttt!!!!" which does little to stop your screaming. Just had to throw this part in so you don't look back someday and think it was all sunshine and roses everyday!
Ever since you started walking you have been a hand holder. Not really out of needing to be connected, but to bring one of us over to do whatever you want. When you bring us over you then shove our hand on whatever it is you want. Often it is to the pantry or refrigerator. Lately it is becoming to bring me to a book you want to read. There has even been a time or two that you bring me over to show me something that you just got into that you know you shouldn't have. Yeah for developing a conscience! For awhile when you first started walking you wouldn't let two people hold your hand at the same time. I think it was way too confining. That was before your siblings taught you the joy of, "one-two-three-WHEEE!" and now you love to hold two peoples hands so you can swing away.
Speaking of swinging, I think we have a little dare-devil on our hands. Faster and higher is better. And big wild slides.. you love them. It is fun to take you places because you will try anything. You definitely think you are a big kid. You think jumping on beds, couches, and if someone will lift you on, the trampoline is great fun. Your sweet little laugh is intoxicating!
You are also the first Pate child to learn how to climb out of your crib before the age of two. That sort of threw me at first. However you and I have come to an agreement that if you climb out, you get put in your little pea pod tent. You don't mind it, it is where you sleep when you are away from home, but you prefer your crib when here. Consequently you don't really climb out. I am still a bit shocked! Nice that you caught on quickly.
You are still a binkie and blankie girl. Two blankies to be exact. The funniest thing you do is when you are tired or needing soothed you put the little fringe part of your blanket up under your nose. I guess you are smelling it. Adorable.
"Dada" was your first word, but "mommy" wasn't far behind. You understood what we were telling you quite awhile ago, but saved talking until the last few months. Every animal until about 6 weeks ago was a doggie. In the past month you have been stringing words together to make little sentences. Your first sentence was, "where'd my binkie go?" Great. That is going to be fun to take away. When you call your siblings by name it melts their heart.

Your favorite foods are pizza, spaghetti and pancakes. I hate to admit that you have discovered, thanks to Camden, that you love the tv show Curious George. You lead me over to where the tv remotes are and say, "show" and "monkey." You do love books, or "bookies" as you call them. You don't really have a favorite book, but we try and keep you away from non-board books right now because you are fond of ripping pages of paper books and then bringing them to me and saying "open." Evidently you are a little confused between things like raisin boxes or granola bar wrappers and books.
I think our favorite thing about you that we have discovered this year is your funny little personality. You like to laugh and make us laugh. You know when you are doing something funny and delight in it. You are also so pretty and cute. People stop me all the time to tell me what a pretty little girl you are. Daddy especially loves your soft, golden blonde hair.

This morning your siblings woke you up so we could have breakfast as a family and open presents. You weren't super impressed with the whole thing. Tonight when we had birthday dinner and opened gifts with grandma and grandad gave you a birthday cake toy that you were obsessed with. You loved it so much you wouldn't open up anything else. It was great practice so you knew how to blow out the candles on your cupcake!
We love you so much Reagan Joy. It is so fun to watch you grow. You are so cute and fun right now that I want to freeze time and keep you this way forever. However, I know that I'm going to love what you turn into. I love every minute with you sweet baby girl.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

May the Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you.

May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
and give you peace.


Happy second birthday Reagan Joy.

Love Mom.




1 comment:

tlc said...

I've been looking forward to reading this birthday letter. Wow! I can't believe it's been two years already. Remember the huge swine flu (or some such illness) scare that prevented the kids from coming to the hospital to meet Reagan? I remember driving by your house the day you came home from the hospital and smiling at the huge Welcome Home sign the kids had made. Good times!