Gates is two!

My dear sweet Gates, how can you be TWO??

It seems like just yesterday we were living in Americus (with my parents!) and you were born.  You didn't like to sleep much and you really liked to cry, so it was all such a sleepless blur.  The next thing I knew we moved to Albany in our new house and we celebrated your first birthday.

You walked before you turned one and have always been very stable, but you have been very slow to talk.  I've been very worried we would end up at speech therapy, but you have recently started talking SO MUCH!  It is a serious answer to prayer.  You have turned into a little parrot who will repeat anything.

You still love your blankie ("Ga Ga") and paci ("BeBe") and I am not ready to take either away from you!  You don't have them during the day unless you are really upset or about to go to bed.

You truly don't know life without your Bubba (Hawkins).  We could never separate you b/c you would be so upset.  You walk up asking for him and cry when you have to be separated for bed. You ask for him all morning when he goes to school and you love to follow him around.  The feeling is not entirely mutual, but now that you are getting older Hawkins does enjoy playing tag your it with you :)


Cute phrases you are saying right now:  "Help me" (in a very distressed tone), "Hey Mommy", "Hey Daddy",  "Hiding"  (you love to talk about things hiding), "Bye bye digga" (digger),

Words you can say:  Digga = Digger, BoBo, Yagy = Lady, Bi Da = Big Daddy, Honey, Gama = Grandmomma, Yadder = ladder, dill = drill, hamma = hammer, wench = wrench, truck, bus, etc etc.  It really is crazy b/c now you will repeat anything you hear and can say things pretty well.  Christmas tree, Chippy, anything!

-Your 2nd birthday party theme was "tools" because you love tools!  A hammer and drill are your favorites, but you love them all!

-The runner up theme was a cleaning party because you really love a vacuum, broom, mop and cleaning supplies too.

-You LOVE to spray and wipe.  You will throw a full on tantrum if you see a spray bottle and you can't hold it.  You say "spay wipe".  Sometimes we let you have a spray bottle full of water and give you a hand towel and you will go to town cleaning everything in sight.

-Despite the previous bullet points - You are all boy!  You love to be outside running, climbing, etc.  You love buses, trucks and bikes.  You go crazy if we see a digger or a truck on the road.

-You sleep from 7:30 or 8pm until 6:30 or 7am and take one nap around 1:30pm for 1.5 or 2 hours.

-You were 2t clothes and size 7 shoe.

-You are a pretty good eater.  (Much better than Hawkins!) You love Chobani greek yogurt, pretzels dipped in hummus or peanut butter, apples, still love baby food pouches, chicken, pizza crust, etc.  You love to share a smoothie or cereal with Daddy breakfast.  Late night you ate sweet potatoes!

-The past 2 weeks you have developed major separation anxiety.  When I drop you off at school or the Y you scream like crazy.  It's slowly getting better though.  Everything is a phase.

-You love to give kisses on the cheek.  When we ask for a kiss you have to kiss both cheeks.  It is the cutest thing.

-Lately everything is "myself".  You want to do EVERYTHING yourself.  Fun fun.

Gates, you are the sweetest boy and Mommy and Daddy love you so much.  Happy second Birthday!