Alina The Birthday Girl {2 Years Old}

Alina, my beautiful birthday girl….

Happy birthday to YOU! This year has been remarkable in the growth of your personality, and words will never express how much fun we’ve had. You are a silly, little one! Those who know you {and who you love} can attest to how much you babble, Alina… you are just like your momma in that way. Your vocabulary is strikingly large, and there is no word {or language} you refuse to attempt. You yap, yap, yap to your heart’s content… and, as long as you take a nap, I love to hear your sweet voice all day.

You are a true performer, Alina! That must come from your Aunties, because I seriously detest being put on the spot. Your Auntie Holly and Aunie Yo are the performers of the family, and I believe you will be following in their footsteps. Sports are my area of expertise, so you best look to these fab ladies to be your stage moms! You LOVE to dance, singing {even if horribly off key} is your passion and, well, acting…that just comes second nature.

Take your “faces” for instances. Literally, on command and one after the other, you will give me whichever kind of “face” I ask of you. It is the funniest thing I have ever seen a two year old do! And you LOVE doing them! Let me give you some examples.

There’s your “happy face”….

And then there is your “curious” face {where you accentuate the curiosity with a “hmmm?”}

There’s your “mad face”, which may be my most favorite…

There’s your “sassy face”, which may be your Auntie’s favorite…

Then there is also your “sad face” and “tired face” and “surprised face”…. we are constantly adding more faces! Ha! Sometimes I forget all the “faces” you make, and will ask “what else, Alina?” You sit quietly and ponder, before quickly deciding which faces we may have forgotten. Hilarity! You crack me up, little girl!

My beautiful Alina, there is also that part of your personality that is quiet and still… you love your snuggle time and can get quite overwhelmed with too much commotion or too many people. Again, this is all me. It can very easily be parts of your Daddy’s personality, as well. We can both be quite serious. You love who you know {those are the lucky ones, indeed} and are weary of people you don’t. It takes you some time to fully wake up from a nap, and I take full advantage of those moments to hold you tight while we sit quietly on the couch. You LOVE to be held and loved on, my sweet girl, and we do so for a long while before you want to move onto something else. The trust you have begun to show in the people who love you during your second year of life has been remarkable… you have truly blossomed! I feel honored to be able to stay home with you, establish a routine, exposure you to kind, loving people, and watch you grow in trust and love. I can actually see our dedicated parenting begin to take hold as you mature in your personality….how cool is that?!

There is nowhere on this earth that I would rather be than with you every single day, Alina. Not at work. Not on a dream vacation. Not hanging with friends. No where else than with you and your Daddy. And while I know that you won’t always need me all day, every day, I miss you while you sleep and look forward to each new day’s adventure with the beautiful child that was created from the love I have with your Dad. I want you to ALWAYS know you are loved beyond any measure of this world or the next. You are beautiful. You are worthy. You are everything good that exists in me and you Dad.

Cheers to a brilliant year 2, my Alina! May year 3 be as sweet and rewarding and with every bit of hard work, too. I look forward to growing together, as individuals, in our relationship and as a family when we welcome your baby brother in a few short months. You will do astounding… I expect no less!

Te quiero por siempre y despues de siempre,
Su Mama