2 {Max}

Max,

Oh sweet boy. You turned two this morning. I can't even believe it happened so quickly. The minute your floppy little body landed on my chest when you were born, I knew one day you'd laugh and run. I knew one day you'd turn a year old. And then you'd be two. I knew it would happen. But as always the year flew by and it happened a little too quickly. Your cheeks have slimmed over the last few months, your face is fighting to look like a boy not a baby, but your hands and your delicious thighs are clinging to more familiar tunes of toddler hood. And for once, I'm not complaining about all things chubby. Last night I procrastinated laying you down, bedtime was nearly two hours late - I was trying to avoid the obvious. But the time kept ticking and morning came. And two, well two years old, still happened.

You're language is erupting. It seems like each day brings a new word. One of my favorite things about you is the way you talk, your lips are plump and simply adorable. The way you purse them together to make words melts me. We've been practicing Happy Birthday with you and now it's your favorite song. I'm pretty sure you think it's a game. Immediately following the last line of the chorus, you begin blowing. Imaginary candles? Sure why not after all it is your birthday.

The minute you wake up in the morning you are giggling. You clutch to your blanket and still suck your thumb, but the minute we arrive at the bottom of the stairs you start asking for breakfast. Your breakfast of choice - COOKIES. You love yogurt and cereal too. Most morning you lick your bowl dry. A foodie in the making.

You have a new found love for swimming. I guess that would come natural for a summer baby. Some mornings you get all excited and bring me your swimsuit and loudly repeat "mem-ming, mem-ming!" Luckily for you we do go swimming most everyday.

 You are spirited. Determined. Full of life. God forbid someone try and assist you in getting down from your chair or out of your car seat. The phrase of the month - "DIE DO". Obviously, you got the memo that two means independence. You are ready to move out and start  live on your own. Most days you refuse any sort of help, which leads to backward shoes and shorts, major bedhead and a face encrusted in donut icing.

You love splashing during bath time, snuggling during nap time, and laughing pretty much all the time. You have a special little spunk in your step that makes you all the more YOU.

I can't believe you've been here twenty four whole months, yet I can't remember life without you. Two years gone and many more to come. My birthday wish for you is lots more giggles, many more sleepy slumbers, heaps of sloppy kisses, hundreds more brotherly quarrels and most of all that you keep marching to the beat of your own drummer.

I love you more then I knew was possible. I love you with every ounce of my being and every beat of my heart. I love you to the moon and back. Always and forever.

 Happy second birthday baby boy!

maximo, you're ONE.

And a year ago, this was us. The four of us. Not just three. This time last year we had just welcomed a fourth member to our family. Yup, this time last year we were four.

Which technically must mean that my baby is now officially a year old. A whole year ago we were snuggling a brand new baby boy, now that baby isn't so new, but we still snuggle him a lot. the best part is now he snuggles back, most of the time.

We have a walking, major babbling, super cute, teething, will eat anything one year old baby boy! We celebrated nearly two weeks ago with a pirate party. He was in love with his foam sword and his icing topped cake.

Maximo you have added a dynamic to this family that is irreplaceable. You are a perfect fit. I will never forget the feeling of anxiety and uncertainty I felt about adding another baby to our family. The minute I saw your dark eyes I felt silly for ever wondering if I could love another baby the way I already loved your brother. Simply foolish really.

I still like to stare in to your eyes when your tired and willing to lay quiet and still cradled in my arms. I have tried so many times to tilt you just right to see your pupils gleam in the light and yet, a whole year later I've still never seen them. Your eyes are so dark and mysterious and beautiful. Your eyes shine when you smile - which has pretty much what you've done the last 300 something days of your life. The first grin was just the beginning. And you know what? I think the world is really damn lucky that they get to see your smile so much.

I wanted to write you a letter telling you how much I love you and how much the past year has changed me as a person and a mother. How lucky I feel to have you as my son. How lucky your father is to have you as a son. How lucky we all are to have you in our lives. I wanted to tell you how much work it really was to have a second child and how worth it it's been. I wanted to tell you how exciting it was when we saw you take more than two consecutive steps. We may or may not have yelled like we won the lottery - it was pretty damn exciting. I wanted to tell you how entertaining it was watching you hold a pinata stick that easily had 12 inches on you.

But mostly I want to tell you how incredibly awesome you are. I don't really know how to put in to words my love for you. You have shown me unbiased, nonjudgmental, pure love. Love at it's rawest form. The kind of love you don't think twice about. And I've only know you 366 days. that is how truly incredible you are. I mentioned earlier the beauty of your smile - but it barely touches the surface of the beauty you possess. There is something about you that is really special and I think your smile just reassures everyone of that.

You've come a long way in just one short year. It flew by. It was filled with tons of laughing - deep, contagious, makes people smile belly laughing. It was filled with lots of sippy cup refusing and throwing. It was filled with stained onesies, many changed diapers, a ton of midnight (and all hour of the night wakings). It was filled with smiles, excitement and many milestones. It was filled with birthday cake and doctor visits. It was filled with a few bumps, bruises and 8 new teeth. It was filled with love. Pure love. Raw love. Genuine love.

I love you more than I can even explain, but I hope this came close to touching the surface of the love I want you to know you bring. Happy first birthday, to you, Maximo William. Yay, we survived our first year!