Dear Baby Jane,
Today as someone asked me how old you were, I heard myself respond, she'll be two tomorrow." And I almost gasped out loud. How is that possible? Just yesterday you were growing inside my tummy. It's was you and me kid! And now, two years later, it's all about you.
You are so joyous and expressive. When you hear us describe what you did at school like "today the children went outside and explored their mud kitchen..." your face lights up as if you were there. If we ask you to roar like a tiger, you grin, wide-eyed and in a soft hush, with mouth open wide say, "whawhhhh..." There is no R in your roar. For now, it is mellowed by a slurry wh sound but it is no less ferocious!
You love to read books. You can choose Madeline off the shelf just by looking at the spine and you giggle when she tells the tiger, " poo-pooh!" You love to read about the big ole caterpillar and can identify everything he ate from chocolate cake to shawami (salami). And if we say, "he ate the plums BUT..." You will answer, "he's still hungry." And we smile and laugh to one another.
You love your friends at school. Your teachers say that you are smart and kind and very much a leader. And for that I am so thankful. Every morning on our way to school I ask you to raise your hand if you are four things... Smart, kind, sweet, and funny. And every morning you raise your hand and repeat each one. I hope that you always remember that these are the qualities that represent you. Your beauty is inherent. You choose to be the others. Life is full of choices, but if you choose to be these things, you will be an amazing young woman.
I love you more than chocolate cake and salami. I love you more than Elmo and Madeline. In fact, baby Jane, I love you more than anything I've ever loved. You are the greatest thing I have ever done.
And as I sit here in Chicago returning from a work conference wishing I could kiss your one year old cheeks one more time, I want you to know that you are in fact the most important thing in our life. At the end of mine, I may never be known as the worlds greatest CPA but I hope you consider me the worlds greatest mom.
Two years ago, you stole my heart. After many years I found myself praying again because there was no doubt in my mind that you were a gift from God.
I love you through and through my sweet baby girl. Happy second birthday,
Mommy