Dear Issa,

Last week I was driving home from a trip to the store to purchase supplies for your Peppa Pig birthday party in the park. Out of nowhere, the song “When She Loved Me” from Toy Story 2 came on the radio, and I listened to the lyrics reminisce about a time when Jessie was adored by Emily. In that moment I wasn’t thinking about a toy and her owner. I just started bawling because I thought about you. How you will never love or need me as much as you do now. How, on your second birthday today, I’m struggling to understand how the time goes by so quickly. You’re my baby, and there is a part of me that wants you to stay that way forever.

Issa

Right now we’re best buddies. We spend all day, every day together, and I treasure it. You’re stubborn, and messy, and you run around like a mad woman most days, but even in the thick of it I know I will miss these days. Your Daddy always says you’re “just something else.” And it’s true. You have brought such joy and laughter into our family I don’t know what we would be like without you. You love puppies and kittens, and you go toe to toe with your big sister any day of the week. You cry when she goes to school, and you yell out “CO!” when you see her walking back in the door. You hate having hair bows in your (barely there) hair, and you hate having to slow down to have your diaper changed.

I love that the other day you were watching The Little Mermaid and out of nowhere imitated Ursula’s evil laugh. What kind of two-year-old has an evil laugh?! I love that when you watch Bo on the Go you really jump around when she asks you to because you believe with all your heart that you’re helping her on the screen. I love that you steal my phone to watch YouTube and shake your finger at me if I try to take it back as if I’m trying to take something that is YOURS. I love that you refuse to leave the house unless you’re carrying at least two babies. I love that you make all of us laugh on a daily basis.

Everyone compliments you on your eyelashes and your blue/hazel eyes. Their color seems to change to me depending on your outfit, the light, etc. You are still my chunky monkey, but I can already see your baby face turning into a toddler face. You are tough as nails, and most bumps or bruises barely phase you. You may be turning two, but you have the attitude of a teenager. In fact the only way we got you to pose for the pictures in this blog post was by having your big sister wave one of your dolls around like a maniac. Otherwise you were far too busy with your world of make believe to give us the time of day.

You say lots of words already, and you know most of your body parts. You also try counting with sister for games, and you love playing hide and go seek. You bring us your dolls every day and ask us to play “Hi”, which basically consists of having the same conversation over and over. And any time we FaceTime with Auntie Kelsey, you ask to see the puppy and the baby before you even acknowledge your Aunt. You are adorable, and hilarious, and the apple of our eye. It has brought me so much pure happiness to be your mama, and I hope you’ll always stay close to me no matter what. I love you, more than you will ever know.

XO,

Mama

When somebody loved me
Everything was beautiful
Every hour spent together
Lives within my heart
And when she was sad
I was there to dry her tears
And when was happy so was I
When she loved me
Through the summer and the fall
We had each other that was all
Just she and I together
Like it was meant to be
And when she was lonely
I was there to comfort her
And I knew that she loved me
So the years went by
I stayed the same
But she began to drift away
I was left alone
Still I waited for the day
When she’d say I will always love you
Lonely and forgotten
Never thought she’d look my way
And she smiled at me and held me
Just like she use to do
Like she loved me
When she loved me
When somebody loved me
Everything was beautiful
Every hour spent together
Lives within my heart
When she loved me

 

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