Notes for Cece

Cece is two years old. Two years and three months to be exact. And, she is something else, let me tell you. I keep meaning to jot a few thoughts down so years from now (ok, months from now, let's be real), I don't forget these wild times. And also, because some day when her two year old is both pushing buttons and the boundaries of love, she'll know exactly where it came from. So I'm finally making time, albeit, a bit rushed. I may forget a thing or two. Hopefully I'll find time to come back and edit/add them to the list. Probably not though. So it goes these days.

Cece, you are a spitfire. Wild energy. A free spirit. Deeply devoted to your own needs ("I want, all mine"). Your expressions are open windows to your intentions and by now, after many, many iterations, I can read you like an open book. I know if you are about to run and hug or if you are about to run and hide (not always, but mostly, it's the second of the two). You can be devious and delicious all at once. Your hugs are long and hard yet your hands hit swiftly and often without much provocation. You are two, after all.

Your love runs strong and deep for your trains, specifically Thomas, although Percy is really your true love. Runners up include Clifford, Micky Mouse and Curious George. Beyond cartoons (which, by the way, you watch all together too much of) you are devoted to your artwork (painting is a favorite) and your books.

We read for what feels like hours each night before bed. Favorites include Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny, Curious George, Cordory, anything Thomas and random picture books of animals and outer space. Reading to you at bedtime is both wonderful and anxiety provoking for all of us. You love books and would like us to read to you all night long if we would. But it has to stop at some point and when it does, at least one of us (hint: you) are never happy about it. Thank goodness you're still confined to your crib. It will get ugly when we move you to your big girl bed.

Shortly after you turned two, we got rid of Binky. You loved that thing but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and you took it pretty well. Together we went through the house, collecting all of the stray binkies, including all of your favorites and boxed them up for the "Binky Fairy". We put the binky box out on the front step and before long (and while you weren't looking) the Binky Fairy came and took the binkies away because "binkies are for babies". In it's place, the Binky Fairy left a new bedtime book and a note stating that if you made it through your nap, she would leave a treat under your pillow. There was some whining at nap time that day, but no melt downs. You woke up to find a lollipop under your pillow. By day two, you were walking around the house chanting, "binkies are for babies" and requesting lollipops all day long. We traded a binky problem for a cavity problem.

Speaking of that, we made our first trip to the pediatric dentist this week, on account of you chipping two teeth. It was about as fun as one might expect, which is to say, it really wasn't much fun at all. The good news is the chips are just minor and no action is required. Somehow, I have a feeling chipped teeth may just be the beginning of a long medical history of bumps and bruises. You are a wild child. You climb and climb. You kick and throw yourself around. You love to "race" and the bumpier the ride the better. Nothing slows you down, not even sleep. Which reminds me again, I'm glad you're still confined to your crib. Probably not for long though.

School is going well, especially since we moved you up to the two year old class shortly after your birthday. Within a week or so you were counting to ten with ease. You even count in spanish, though tend to get stuck at ocho. Your alphabet is coming along, too. You have the first half down but fall off the grid after the letter P. You must sense that all the important ones are covered by that point (ie your initials). You love to draw, color, paint, and create. Your imagination is just starting to shine. My favorite is watching you "cook" in your kitchen, making meals for mommy and Summit.

 

Speaking of Summit, you two are tight these days. She's never been one to allow anyone to lean into her but when it comes to you, she tolerates almost anything. You sit, climb, poke, pull, and generally just torment her and she take it all in stride. There are times when she can't resist the cracker being waved in her face and in one swift motion, snags it from your sticky grip. Usually, at this point, you lose it and crumple to the ground in pure tantrum mode, though sometimes, you just laugh and give her another one. It depends on your mood. I don't protest much because Summit truly takes a lot from you and I consider all those crackers, cheese sticks and goldfish her reward for overall good behavior.

You truly love your brother and on most days, partake in your big sister responsibilites with pure enthusiasm. You help with diaper changes and perform dance routines to entertain him when he starts crying in the jumperoo. You gaurd his binky and his bibs with vigor and are quick to let strangers know that he belongs to you.  Also, I'm pretty sure you will be referring to him as "Baby Sully" even when you two are teenagers.

You get into everything. And if you know you're not supposed to be near, on, or touching something, it's pretty much a guarantee you'll persist until I find you hiding behind the curtains having just emptied a basket of folded laundry, playing with scissors with hands covered in diaper cream. You are mischievous, determined and temperamental. I wonder where you get that from?

I'm sure I'm missing a hundred things about you that I want to remember. The little moments of each day. Of our life together where some days seem to drag on forever but yet time goes by so quickly. Dear Cecelia, you are the bright shining light in our lives. You not only draw attention but you demand it. You are a force to be reckoned with my sweet love and I cannot wait to see where all that spirit leads you in this wild and precious life. xoxooo, mommy.