Happy 2nd Birthday, Gia!

Dear Gia,

A couple of weeks ago I wrote Daddy a letter for his birthday, and I didn’t want you to feel left out.  So here it goes:

Two years ago today was one of the happiest (and most painful) days of my life, and who knew the joy and shenanigans you’d bring me every day since then. You’ve been running thangs… boss hoggin’ it for 731 days now.  It feels crazy to say it like that. 731 days. It’s such a small number, but 731 days you’ve been here with us, and I’ve enjoyed almost every minute of it. Even from the poop stains in my bed to your uncanny ability to pee in your pot every morning but at no other time during the day. Sometimes I wonder if you just like pointing at your diaper and proclaiming “Stinky!” and making this face-

Super fun times for me, especially now with the grown-up poop.  Ish got real.  Real fast.  And although no one wants you to stay a baby more than me, you will be potty trained in the coming weeks. Forreals.

Regardless, you have provided me with endless entertainment and self-awareness. It terrifies me at how much of a friggin’ sponge you are. Mommy and daddy can’t do or say anything that you won’t be walking around repeating not even 5 minutes later. It’s adorable now, but one day you’re going to have to stop calling your grandmother ‘Ain,’ which can only be interpreted as her first name, Elaine. Not cool baby girl. I do, however, love the way that you play in Mommy’s hair almost as much as I do, pretending to style it, and the way that you walk around in my shoes and demand that we sit down and read to you until the book is finished. Oh, and the way that you pose for pics, or can’t walk past a mirror without doing a double take – so adorable! Hmmm…I’m beginning to think that you’re going to be a bit of a diva like me, which I’m sure scares the HECK out of daddy, but he’ll get used to it I’m sure. I probably will too. Maybe…

But even more than your ‘baby-diva’ ways, what scares both Daddy and me the most is that we’re sure you’re going to be smarter than us, and this will be the first and last time I ever admit this young lady. *stern mommy look* For starters you found all of your birthday gifts. So now, for the next 16 years we’ve gotta come up with a scheme to keep you away from your presents. *sigh* I think I knew you were smarter than us when you opened up your favorite iPhone app on my phone, and I took it away, closed the app, and gave back to you thinking it was a fluke – and you opened it again, and again. And I thought to myself “she knows how to use the phone better than Grandma”. Smh…you probably used an app to find all of your dangum presents. It’s okay though, Daddy decided he was going to use this to our advantage, so don’t be mad when we hire a math tutor for you so you can do math for us in your head. We’re getting tired of counting on our fingers. By the way, 2012 was a leap year, so yes *does math on fingers* it has been 731 days.
I love you more than any of the words I could manage to fancifully stream together here.  Thank you for making me want to be a better person. You give me life, you inspire me and Mommy is so proud of you.

Happy Birthday,  Boogie!