.....Two.

Who wouldn't want to be two? I love this stage in my angel's life and sometimes my heart is sad for the mommas that see two as that terrible age of tantrums and age-related acting out tragedies.  I love it, despite its many challenges on any given day, and often wish I could pause time and study each one of my children...savoring the very things that make them who they are at this moment in their lives...whether it be VERY two, adorably four or a wonderful inquisitive six.

Our Anabel Kristine turns two today so I thought I would take a moment to celebrate two....an age where we live for snacks, a ride in the car, or a bath; each celebrated with one word exclamations "Baahhh!" "Go!" "Eat!"  Asking simple questions like, "do you want a snack or should we go?", resulting in such excitement because the newness has not yet worn off. To which you nod and say "Nyeah" and run to get your "you's" on or into the pantry to find a "nack!"

An age where your hands could not be more precious in all their wonderful unproportionedness with slender delicate fingers and dimples where knuckles should be...and dimples are the cutest at this age...wherever they appear, including on round spots that are not so cute at an adult age :)

And the way you comb through your hair whenever your tired...and when your extra tired you use both hands.

I think you can do most anything at two and get away with it...

Like the fact that you can mispronounce words and use them incorrectly and no one thinks you are uneducated but instead adorable, even writing their favorite ones down for memory. And the way you can sing as loud as you want in any voice and not know the words and its always cute. How its okay to need a nap every day and wearing your hair crazy or having food on your face does not bring any added judgment. The way you can exclaim "PaPa!" to any older gentleman because you are always on the lookout for a papa-look-alike hoping its the genuine article :) 

Further emphasized by the fact that you can poop in public, in a corner, or in your bed for that matter and you don't have to follow it with an embarrassed glow to your cheeks or an excuse other than the fact that you are indeed two!

You are still learning to share and its normal that you cry when you don't get what you want...and yet you don't care about getting the same size piece of cake because you don't notice things like that yet, because you are still so proud that you get cake at all....what really matters is that you got the exact same thing as your older brother. :) because he is big and you want to be big too.

And the way you ask so many things with just a sound and a point and then answer with an "oh" while your mouth sits in the cutest down turned expression...a favorite.

You still run to the door for the last kiss when daddy leaves,..which we adore because your short legs means that your hustle run is a shuffle instead of a glide because those legs are just a bit too short still ;) 

and the way you hold your arms out for a hug when Asher exits the car for Kindergarten, and the way you care for your baby doll as if it were one of your own.

You still use the same word for three different things like "you" which might mean shoes, drink, or juice at any given time.  And the word "Ine" which means okay, that's acceptable to me, or all right.

You still make the same announcement multiple times a day that others may not even notice..but you make sure you get my attention..... "Mom, mom, mom, moooommmmm, mommy!...." "Yes, Anabel?" I say from the front seat. "Nu Nu" you respond as you point to your mouth...letting me know that you have your Nuk and you are enjoying it intently. :)  Which you may do three minutes later as we drive along.

 Needless to say, I love two, our precious little angel, please stay little a little while longer...oh you grow so fast.  Those blue little eyes couldn't shine any brighter against your beautiful golden curls, with bangs :), framing your sweet dimpled cheeks.  Our precious gift from God.... I'll take two! :)