Skylar 2 years 2 months

Dear Skylar,

I have some exciting news this month - we are moving soon! Now I’m not thrilled about leaving our current house because I really like it but the new house is amazing and the reason we are buying it is because there is literally a second house within the basement for Grandma to live with us! Its totally crazy that within the first 3 years of your life you will have lived in 3 different houses! Daddy and I sure expect to stay in this new house for a very long time. But the reason we sold the Washington house was to live near Papa and Gigi and now we are selling this house so Grandma can live with us. Life is quite unpredictable when priorities change. We are very lucky to make our life what we want like making it possible for you and Brooke to grow up around all of your loving grandparents. Daddy and I sometimes think about what life would have been like if we never left Washington. I expect none of your grandparents would ever live near by - but they visited a ton, and I would still be working - possibly full time. I hope these life changes daddy and I do for you help you strengthen and grow into a confident, caring woman.

 Okay, onto daily life with a 2 year old. You are just so cute and sweet most of the time but sometimes cry and demand things and it makes us want to pull our hair out! Its interesting how parental emotions can swing from one end to the other so quickly with a toddler. You constantly want whatever it is we have and when we say no you often cry for it. I’m doing better about staying my ground but daddy gives in. Maybe that’s why you always want to “cuddle Daddy”! When daddy is around you are frequently his little shadow and are not happy when he has to go in the basement to work. You’ll stand at the top of the stairs and cry for him. He gets a little drained from your demands of him but he also finds it endearing and cherishes the attention too because he knows it won’t last forever.

Some of your cute word pronunciations lately are “carrot me” (carry me), “kapkin” (napkin) and “ke keam” (ice cream). You are such a chatter box in the car especially when daddy is driving. I look back to watch but you always say “go mom” and push your hand out to me to turn around. You like to chatter when no one is watching! Although you still frequently chatter on the phone or anything that looks like a phone be it a calculator or remote. One of my favorite things that you say is ‘tiny one’ when describing anything that is small.

 You LOVE Gymboree! Often around the house you will sing songs from class and shake a rug up and down like a parachute. I’m sad that we only have a few more weeks of classes because our new home is too far from Gymboree to make the drive worthwhile. But you like to hang so I’m going to try to get you into a little gymnastics class while Brooke is in preschool later this summer or fall. You also LOVE our trampoline and beg us to jump with you. All you want is for me to hold your hands and bounce forever!

A note worthy difference between you and Brooke now that summer is here is your preference for shoes. Brooke loves to go barefoot outside but you always want to wear your shoes! I suppose it started a few months ago when the Aspen trees dropped fuzzy blossoms all over our yard and trampoline. You were terrified of them! I think this instilled the need for shoes outside and you’ll rarely walk barefoot even on the grass. I hope you relax a little as the summer progresses!

 I have always sang to you at bedtime especially because it took you awhile to get into books. Now we either read a few books with Brooke in her bed or I’ll read you a few in your room. Then we always cuddle for a bit before I lay you down and lately you always want me to sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and you ‘sing’ it with me! Since you were a baby I've held you and sang “Rock a Bye Baby” before laying you down. When daddy puts you down he sings to you too! You really like your routine which also includes having monkey, baby and puppy all placed on your chest and then both blankets laid over you. You must always have your binky too. I think its cute how must have all of these specific items. You say ‘bye-bye’ to me and blow me a kiss! I hope you forever stay this sweet.

Love, 

Mommy