Annie Noelle......

My dearest little Annie Noelle.

Two years old.  I can't believe you've been in my life for 2 years.  In a way, it feels like you were just born and the 2 years flew by.  And yet, it also feels like an eternity because I barely remember not having your beautiful smile to see every day.

You have the best facial expressions.  Your nose scrunches up when you are confused.  Your cheeks are big and round and kissable when you smile.  Your mischievous smile is so cute that I can't help but laugh when you think you're being sneaky.

You told me last night that you're a big girl now.  Yes, dear you are a big girl.

You love to do whatever Audrey is doing.  You so want to be like her.  You want to play the same games and have the same toys.  You eat the same snacks.  You want to wear the same clothes.  Yet you are not afraid to assert your independence on her.  To tell her "no" and make sure she knows that you are your own person.

You love to cuddle with mommy and daddy and Kymi.  You crave the interaction with other people.  But you know how to sit down and play by yourself.  To look through the books and point out all the animals and other things you know in the pictures.  You can sit and color by yourself without needing help.  

You are an observer.  You watch someone do something over and over again and then you try it and you can do it too.  You sit at Daddy's drums and do exactly what he does.  You watch the big kids reads books and then you read books to all of us the same way.  You stand up "on stage" and sing your heart out.  You love Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

You are a spitfire.  When you want something, you make sure we know.  When you don't want something you make sure we know.  There is no talking you down when you have your mind set on something.  Your Gramma Janet laughed at me when I explained this to her.  She just loves that you are just like me.  

You just love to "steal" your mom and dad's I-Fream (ice cream) and pah-corn (popcorn).  You love your horbread (cornbread).  Your favorite fruit is bananas.  You eat ketchup by the spoonful and ignore the hot gog (hot dog) on your plate.

Happy Birthday baby girl.  Many blessings for a wonderful year full of learning, growing, exploring and loving.