Turning 2....

Dear Lucia-

You are turning 2 sweet girl and I have such mixed emotions, but I am your mom and you shouldn’t except anything less J Can I share with you some things?  First, we talk now, you and I.  We talk about our plans, we talk about our days, we talk about our family and friends, we even talk about the moon and the sun and the flowers and how beautiful they are. There are no misunderstandings between you and I when it comes to communication, you tell me what you want, you tell me what you don’t want.   You talking is about the sweetest thing I have ever heard, next to your singing.  Which you do…. All. The. Time.  Your favorites?  Happy Birthday, Parabens, ABC’s.  You sing the classics, but  you also like to make songs up on your own at any time of the day or night.  I think we have finally found our creative soul in the family.  Your voice is so sweet and tender, you sing with a beat, you sing with inflation.  You even sing on stage at Kids Karaoke.  I personally could listen to you sing forever. 

When you aren’t singing and telling stories, you are playing puzzles.  You are just like your father, he adores puzzles and problem solving.  Anytime you have chance, “momma, I play that puzzle please?”.  Your attention span is still short, so I think you may love just dumping the puzzles on the floor the most, but I definitely see your mind working and thinking to try and put puzzles together.  It is beautiful to watch.  You are also really clever.  You play jokes on us, you hide from us.  “Cade e Lucia” you say.  “Acho” we say when we find you!  The other day, Vova told you not to climb on something. So you took her to her room, closed the door so she couldn’t see you, and proceeded to climb where you weren’t supposed to.  I have a feeling we better be on our toes at all times. 

And I know you are smart, but sometimes I wonder if it’s because you are my daughter that I think that.  But one thing is for sure, everyone in your life tells us how smart you are too.  Your teachers rave about how advanced you are, how well you listen.  Our friends and our family make comments.  There is no doubt Lucia, that you have such great capacity for learning. 

While you are creative and smart and clever, you are also, very, very bossy.  I think that comes quite naturally considering who your parents are ;)  You boss Bella around the house “vai pra cama!”. You try and boss your dad and I, actually who am I kidding, you probably succeed!  Your teachers mentioned that you make sure there is order and structure to the class, ensuring that no children get out of line.  You even did some bossing from the potty.  Can you imagine that sight?  While you are a born leader for sure, we know that it’ll be important to soften those bossy edges a bit, so we are sure to remind you to use your please and thank yous when you are bossing everyone around with your little finger. 

And even though you are bossy, you are still as sweet and tender as I could have ever hoped you would be.  You absolutely adore your family and friends and teachers.  You talk about everyone in your life, and while you are sometimes shy in social situations, you are incredibly well connected and close to people.  At 2 years old, and with 2 classes removed from your infant class, you still go to your infant teacher every day and hug her and tell her goodbye.  It has been a year since you have been in her class.  You love looking at photos and videos of the people in your life, I think it makes you feel joy and safety.  You like everyone to be together, if one of us is gone, things just don’t quit feel right to you.  The other day, you sat next to a girls dance group and hugged one of the girls over and over.  When we pick you up, your little fingers give a little tap, tap.  As if to say, it’s all ok.  When we go to see Mr. Ben, there is a song, Blast Off, that is mostly upbeat and energetic.  But there are parts to the song, that feel, what I think, are a bit sad.  In those parts, you get weepy.  Lucia my love,  you have a sensitive and endearing side of you that I completely adore and admire.

Lucia, you are absolute perfection to me.  And even though parenting is not easy; we have hard days, moments, exhaustion, tantrums, tears, uncertainty, I would never trade anything for the experience to be your mother.  When you are laughing, exploring, signing, creating, loving, caring, you teach me to be my better self.  I know you were not put on this earth to teach me things about life, but since you have been born, you have been doing just that.  Lucia,  you are destined for great, great things, I can see that clearer than anything.  And while you are destined for great things, I just wish for you this next year continued learning, exploration, joy, fun and lots and lots of love.  I hope your heart is so overfilled with love that you have so much extra to share with those around you.  The world needs you little girl.  You are our reminder of why life is so beautiful.

I love you with everything.

Mommy