Lotsa 2's

Dear Patrick,

Today you turn 22 months old, only two months from turning two. That's a lot of twos to happen on the same day. You celebrated today by running around the house in a hyper frenzy, most likely due to your early wakings from the last few days. You also got to celebrate with Nana who happens to be here this week, and quite possibly another reason behind your high energy levels.
The biggest development of the month certainly has to do with all your energy. You are now running, in a silly toddler sort of way. Daddy and I have tried imitating your waddling run, but we can't quite perfect the arm-waving the goes along with it. Either way, it's obvious that your increased speed brings you no end of joy, as you run almost everywhere at full speed.

We're also watching both your fine motor skills and your creativity develop. You try to do more detailed actions now, like screw the lid back on a water bottle. You haven't quite mastered many of these actions, but you are being very persistent in trying. Of course you get frustrated from time to time, but I can already distinguish a frustration tantrum from any other kind. I think that frustration only fuels your persistence, which will serve to help you reach your goals much more quickly.

You are growing creative in how you play with your toys as well, in a much different way than I've seen in the past. Suddenly a fire truck and a ride-on car have become a fort when angled together against a wall. Daddy and I laughed hard when we realized you were turning your fort into a nest by storing all your favorite toys in it. Shouldn't I be the one who is nesting right now, not you?

The other day you also definitely started pretend play. I was sitting in your room while you played with the door and kept climbing in and out of your bed (which you have become quite adept at). You started closing the door behind you as you left the room, telling me to sleep tight as you left. You were putting Mommy down for a nap the same way I do for you every day. I think that's a huge step in your maturity to pretend you're the mommy and Mommy is the Patrick.

One thing I think everyone will notice from the pictures is that you have turned into a performer when the camera comes out. You recognize a camera of any kind, and you grin the cutest and cheesiest grin for it. You have turned into such a ham, entertaining anyone watching and forever capturing your performances on camera.

Mommy and Daddy have been a little concerned about your vocabulary in the last few weeks. You can repeat lots of phrases we say often, but you can identify very few things. This has been worrying me in particular. But this week, with another fresh set of ears around, we are starting to identify many more words and phrases that you can say, if only in Patrick-language. Nana and I are starting to wonder if you might be secretly hiding a genius mind behind the grins and chubby cheeks. We swore just a few minutes ago that you were counting, and you acted like you knew your colors a few weeks ago. Any day now I'm expecting you to break out in song, proving to us you know your full alphabet as well. Or you'll pick up a book and start reading it to me, not the "reading" you usually do.

Every day you are a little bit more of a little boy than even a toddler. You are growing up much too fast, and as much as I want you to be a grown up big brother for Nathan, I wish I could keep you as my little toddler a bit longer. It helps that I love the sweet little boy you are growing into. You may have many of my physical features, but you are growing up to be just like your daddy. I couldn't be prouder. You have inherited all his best characteristics, like his loving, giving nature--and of course his preference for cleanliness in the house. You make me so proud every time I see you do something new, so much so that I know by the time you're ready to graduate from high school, I'll be about to pop from it. I just hope my heart can also contain the ever-growing love I have for you as well. And I hope you never doubt either my pride in you or my love for you.

Love,

Mommy