Leo,

You turned 2 yesterday and I’m still reeling. Right now you are playing with Clara behind me. You have an elaborate game going which involves matchbox cars and jungle animals. You are talking loudly and expressing your animal’s emotions using a mixture of English and Leo. You speak with excellent intonation and gesturing and your words are getting clearer all the time. Lately you love to repeat anything we say to you. At the Chinese lanterns the other night you kept saying “petty” every time I asked you if something was pretty. Last night you tore into Rory saying “I’m mad, I tell mama.” I’d never heard you say that before… if was terribly cute but it did hurt Rory’s feelings. I think he was okay after some reassurances from his Papa. You were fine after you’d cooled off a little too.

Papa and I made you a birthday cake in the shape of an airplane this year. You love planes and helicopters. You scan the sky at the first sound of a jet engine and you point wildly into the blue once you’ve located it. You even know the difference between an airplane and a helicopter, I don’t know if it is a visual distinction or an auditory one but I am so impressed however it is you’ve figure it out.

You STILL hate getting your diaper changed. You hang out on the potty whenever Clara takes a bathroom break but you still don’t have a clue what you are really supposed to be doing there! You deny the possibility of a dirty diaper no matter how bad the stench and you have a weird sense of humor in that you poop every time I take you to the local library. I am not kidding about this either – I can’t understand what our little Plateau library has done to you to make you want to take a dump every time you go through its doors!?!

At 2 years old you still love to do puzzles, you also love to play rough with Clara and Papa rolling and squealing on the our big bed. You like to draw quick masterpieces but are not too interested in spending more than 5 minutes at the table doing crafts. Playdough does keep your attention; unfortunately the mess you leave behind restricts the regularity of that activity. I’d have to say one of your favorite activities away from play carpet is doing “bubbles” as you say. If I appear to be filling the kitchen sink to do dishes you race to the dining room and start dragging a chair toward the kitchen chanting “bubbles, bubbles, BUBBLES” then you demand a “soon” aka a spoon in order to stir your bubbly concoction and heaven forbid I actually try to wash a dish in there!

The animal – car game has just ended and you and Clara have now requested a cartoon. I said “yes” and you are now parked in your spot on the couch. You like TV but you are able to walk away from it (unlike your big sis). You love shows about animals, Caillou, and anything with bright colours and songs.

There are so many things I could say about you at 2 years old Leo, but I could never get it all on paper before you turn 3! Your smile is infectious, they way you say “cheeeeeeeeese” when the camera is pointing your way makes everyone giggle, your obsession with my ears and nose is slowly driving me bananas, your self soothing habit of sucking your own tongue makes you look like Maggie Simpson without the pacifier, the speed in which you drop to your hands and knees and meow like a cat is stunning, they way you whisper “I wuv u too mama” makes tears spring to my eyes every night at bedtime, your willingness to give hugs ‘n kisses to everyone you like is just plain sweet.

Thanks for being you Leo-boy, I wuv you :)

Mama