Letters from mommy Quinn

Two & A Half Years Old

Warning: The following post is VERY long and documents what our little big 2 1/2 year old is doing right now. Please don't feel the need to read all of it...but, if nothing else, skip down and read some of the funny things Q has said lately. They're sure to make you smile! :)

My Sweet Little Love,
How would I even know where to begin to tell you how much I adore you!? I have loved you from the moment Dr. Webster placed you in my arms, but the love I feel now has been magnified 1,000 times since that day 2 1/2 years ago. You are precious, you are sweet, you are tenderhearted, and you are my little boy!!! I think I'm still baffled by that fact...I'm a mommy and you are my little man! What a blessing! What an honor! Overall, you have such a precious little heart! You love to share, you don't like it when you hear others that are upset, and your heart SWELLS with conviction when you feel that you've done something wrong. You're so quick to say "please" and "thank you," and you often say "my'm sorry" when you have no reason to apologize. Even though you have your "two year old moments/days," we are so blessed to have such a good little guy. Your favorite place to be is your home! When we've been out for a while, you always express that you want to go home...usually so that you can play with your trains. You play so well be yourself. The train table is still a HUGE hit and you also love to play with cars, trucks, puzzles or the most random thing that becomes fun for hours! (at this very moment, a broken yo-yo is SO much fun!) I love to sit back and watch you play. I love to hear you talk things through and to see your imagination at work. It amazes me how much you know and how hilarious you are! Even though you do well playing alone, you do love it when we play with you. You absolutely thrive on our "monthly fun days" and when we do other fun activities with you. You still enjoy being read to and will often bring me books to read to you. You've gotten to where you really like to play catch, especially with Daddy. You've even learned how to throw the football by holding on to the laces to make it spiral. Nothing could make Daddy more proud. You also love to play with your friends. Be it at church, playgroup or in your Soccer Tots class, I can tell that you enjoy the time that you spend with them.

You, as all toddlers do, LOVE your shows! I think you'd watch them all day if I'd let you. Right now you LOVE Super Why, Word World and Sid the Science Kid. You also occasionally watch Special Agent Oso and Clifford. Of course you still enjoy Thomas and the movies Cars, Toy Story 2 and Madagascar are your favorites that get some show time almost everyday. My immediate reaction is to panic that you're watching too much TV, but you love it and it TRULY is teaching you so much! Because of the reinforcement from Word World and Super Why, I am confidant that you know all of your letters and some of your letter sounds!

We still get mixed reviews on who you look like. One day I'll hear that you look just like me, and the next day someone will say how you're the spitting image of your daddy! I feel that it must mean that you're a good mix of both of us! I still don't see it. There are moments that I see your daddy in you...and moments where I see me, but nothing consistent. All I know is that you're cute, so when people say that you look like me, I take it as a huge compliment! Your big sparkly eyes melt my heart...and your smile never ceases to make me smile! And, your long blonde hair is to die for! You're beautiful, little man! When it comes to sleeping, you're {thankfully} pretty consistent. You go to bed late for a toddler...about 9:30...and lately have been sleeping until almost 8 on most mornings! You still nap at about 2:00 in the afternoon and sleep for 2 and a half to 3 hours. That's when I'm able to get some things done around the house, start dinner, and sometimes even read and relax. You still take a passy when you sleep. But, that's the only time! I think we could probably get rid of it with a good bribe! Maybe soon!? I can't admit that you're the best eater. You are pretty picky and still eat NO veggies!!! Thankfully, you'll usually try it, but it immediately gets spit out! Your favorite things to eat are pizza, french fries, chips, crackers, fruit snacks, strawberries, applesauce, yogurt, cereal, peanut butter, cheese, and ANY type of dessert or candy! You LOVE diet coke and will never drink your drink if you see that I have a diet coke. Other than those times, you drink water, milk and the occasional juice box. Potty training is going to be the death of me!!! I DO NOT enjoy it at all! Maybe that means that you're not really ready, or maybe it means that I'm just not good at it! If I stay on you ALL of the time, you'll do ok! But, the second I forget to ask (ever 5 seconds), you'll have an accident in your wear-wear! And, after ONE poo-poo accident, I just don't know if I can do it many more times!!! Yuck! I do love how proud of yourself you are when you do go! And, I am SO proud of you when you tell me you need to go without me asking! It happens about once a day! We'll get it!!! In time! :) I love how you are a little more independent. You're starting to enjoy doing things by yourself...getting in  your bed, getting in the car, climbing on chairs, etc. You also love to help...cleaning with a rag and "spray," putting away toys, bringing things to the kitchen, hanging clothes, etc. It's nice that I can ask you to go do something and you can do it! You'll be a huge help when you become a Big brother one day! And, on that note, you WANT to be a big brother. You talk about a baby sister all of the time...and not from our prompting! It's cute! :)  You are a chatter box! I mean a NON-STOP chatter box!!! It's so funny that you could talk constantly and still have things to say. Sometimes it's talking to someone, but lots of times it's just talking when you play! Talking to you is no different than talking to a "grown-up" now. You seem to understand most of what I say and can converse back very easily. It's fun to have a little friend to go shopping with, eat with, and play with at home. ...Here are some recent things you have said. You're hilarious, but you don't really like it when we laugh at you! You'll say, "NO! Stop that! Why you laughin' at me?!!" Well, we just can't help it!!!...

*A little background on this one: You often mimic speech patterns of your friends or of babies that you hears at the store. We often have to tell you to "talk like Quinn!" You've heard it 1,000 times! So, the other day, you wanted ANOTHER package of fruit snacks. I calmly told you that you'd already had some and that you couldn't have any more right now. Then, you walked up to me and said, "Why you say that? Why you say no? Talk like Mommy, ok?" Little stink! :)

*Recently, while looking at my wedding portrait, you said, "Look, that's momma! She was a pretty girl!" I loved the was! Made me laugh, for sure! But, thank you for the compliment anyway.

*While sniffing feverishly you said, "My smelling my boogers!" Gross, but funny!

*I recently caught you bathing your Lightening McQueen in the bath tub while talking to him like I talk to you. "My wash your hair! It's ok! No get soap in your eyes! Here's a towel!"

*While I was sitting at the computer one day, you walked up to me and said, "My wanna look at the blog!" Oh, bless you, sweet boy! :)

*You've started getting excited about Christmas for some reason. You talk about it daily! And, here's what you said one afternoon while dreaming of what you want... "Santa Claus gunna come here. He's gunna be so 'cited to see Quinn! It gunna be FUN!"

*At church one Wednesday, here is the dialogue between you and your sweet teacher...

Mrs. M: "Quinn, how are you so cute?"
Quinn: "Cuz my momma's so cute, too!"
Oh, I love you little man!

*You still enjoy bath time but don't enjoy stopping to play to go get in the bath. So, you'll say, "My'm not dirty!"

*While sweetly rubbing my feet, shirt and legs, you said, "Mommy, you look soft!" Sweet love.

*At Sunday School, you proudly walked in the class and announced, "My Daddy's Matt Poe!" It made him feel so special and made us laugh hysterically! I'm glad he's a celebrity to you, sweet boy! :)

*Since you are a Momma's boy, you have been a little bit of a toot to your daddy lately. In regards to that, here's a recent conversation:

     Mommy: "Quinn, that hurts Mommy and Daddy's feelings when you act like that!"

     Quinn: (with very concerned face) "My sorry. My could kiss it. My could kiss your feelings and make it feel better."

     Mommy: (trying not to laugh) "OK. Where are my feelings?"

     Quinn: (While pointing under my ear) "Right there!" (followed by a BIG kiss!)

*While dining on a yummy rice crispy treat, you said, "That's better than steak, Mommy!" When I asked you how you knew about steak, you said, "Madagascar!" (because Alex the Lion eats steaks!)

*After seeing the produce man at Kroger, and his super long white beard, you announced in a yell, "MOMMY...THAT'S SANTA CLAUS' BROTHER!!!" You were so excited! Hilarious!

*While "driving" us around the grocery store in the car that leads the cart, you peeked our head out the window and said, "Mommy, you're my best friend. And, Daddy's my best friend too. Then Brad and Remy. Then my trains!"

*When Remy was over, she asked you to come to her because she had to tell you a secret. You immediately said, "NO! You don't say that! Mammer says that!!!" Little toot! At least she thought it was funny and not rude!!!

*Since Zoe is staying with us for a few weeks, you have been so sweet to her. I overheard you just loving on her and you said, "Zoe, kanks for coming to stay at my house with me!"

*While sitting on the big boy potty, you looked down at what you were doing and said, "Mommy, look, my makin' juice....potty juice!!!" I had to remind you that we would NEVER drink potty juice!!!

***

Today we looked back at some home video from around your 2nd birthday and I just couldn't believe it. Even though that was only 6 months ago, you have changed SO much! You're not a baby anymore! You're my BIG boy...and I love you...so very much! Thank you for giving us so many reasons to play, laugh and love life! Thank you for reminding us of how much Jesus loves us...the fact that He loves us more than we love you just seems impossible! Thank you for keeping us on our toes, for giving us countless hugs and for thinking that we're cool! :) You're more than we could have ever dreamed...and I feel so very blessed to be "Mommy" because of you!

Happy 2 1/2 years!!!
XOXO, Your Mommy