birthday 2.0

dear penny:

tonight i put my one year old baby to bed for the last time.  you were charming and adorable, and took out your pacifier and put it on the arm of the couch so that we could read "one more story, mommy" and you could be awake for another 10 minutes.  you put your empty bottle in the sink.  you walked over to your crib by yourself.  you gave me a big hug and lots of good night kisses.  you are wearing your pirate pajamas.
i thought your first year went by quickly, but as it turns out, it had NOTHING on this year.  right now, you are an incredibly articulate, absolutely gorgeous, magical human being.  i love how you can entertain yourself using your imagination, how you sing as enthusiastically as i do, and how i know what phrases i use most commonly by what i hear coming out of you - "woah, woah, woah, woah" is apparently a popular one with me.
there is so much you have learned this year - walking, talking, coloring, sticking stickers, putting on and taking off your own shoes & socks...so much more.  you are the most affectionate cuddle bug, hugging your new friends, waving to complete strangers, giving kisses, hugs & fist bumps.
i don't know what we did before there was you.  every morning, you find our glasses, hand us our phones, and remind us to put on pants.  over the past couple of weeks, you have taken charge of making the coffee.  you took a music and movement class for the first time this semester, and you totally rocked it.

i have heard that the terrible twos are right around the corner.  i don't believe it for a second.  i miss you every moment that i'm not with you, i love to hear you tell me the story of your day, and i am delighted that you will be starting your third year on this planet as such a capable, caring, loving, intelligent wonderful human being.  i love being your mommy.