sweet charlotte

Today you turn two, Sweet Charlotte.  Today marks the anniversary of your exit from my body and my inability to keep you all to myself.  Before you were born you were all mine.  You curled safely in my body and it as if only the two of us existed.  You were a part of me and I got to experience your every motion and breath before anyone else in the world.  I felt you move and shiver and stretch and say ‘Mommy, I lub a yew’ long before your sweet voice ever echoed in my ears.  I would have kept your entire existence to myself if I could have.

But, how could I not have shared your sweetness with the world?

You’ve been a solid part of my world for longer than two years, but it has only been that long that I’ve had the simple pleasure of watching you with my eyes instead of feeling you with my senses.  Every moment of everyday you change and grow and become this person, a person who’s entire being shakes me to my core.  It must be the way you softly hold my hand when we rock together in the afternoons.  Or, the way you hug my neck so tight as if you’re trying just as hard to melt with me as I am with you.  It’s the smiles and the giggles and the attempts to stop the world just lay your head on my chest.  It’s almost as if your entire purpose is to show me completely innocent love – the kind of love that is pure and asks for nothing whatsoever in return.

Today you are two.  Today you’ll giggle when I kiss your toes and tell me ‘No fair!’ when I won’t allow you to do something that you so desperately want to do.  You’ll eat cake modeled after your favorite stuffed animal and say ‘Mmmm, delicious!’ as you smear it all over your face.  You won’t wear a bib, of course – because in your world bibs are for sissies!  You’ll run to me attempting to tell me the multitude of things your brother and sister did you to in an effort to practice tattling – your new favorite skill!  You’ll open presents, touch the Christmas tree, take off your shoes and socks a thousand times, and shove numerous things in your pockets.  You’ll hop, skip, jump, and twirl your way around the house while firmly stating ‘I a princess!’  You’ll pretend my calculator is a phone as you call every imaginary friend you have.  You’ll sing Ziggy Marley and insist you pooped in your diaper only to laugh at when I confirm there is nothing in there.

You’ll spend another day being the amazing child that your are and reaffirming my faith in a power bigger than myself.  I am blessed to be your mother and I love you with all that I am.  Happy Birthday, Sweet Charlotte