Dear Brody

Dear Brody,

It's hard to believe your second birthday is less than a month away. I look at your face now and still see that same nose and those same chubby cheeks on the sweet boy I snuggled with in the hospital. I could have never guessed just how sweet and how funny you would turn out as we approach your birthday.

You are so animated and happy. There's no better word, than to say you are just a happy kid. It's easy to make you smile and to get a great belly laugh from you. Throughout the day you make us laugh, just by the simple things you do:

• Your speech is exploding. Your favorite words or sayings are: Wow, Oh No, Shoes, More, Yeah, No, What's this?, Daddy, Momma and more. Even if you don't have the worst, you're so expressive and we're able to communicate so much. 
• You're able to make decisions now, and shake your head yes or no when you're asked a question. When we're trying to find out what you want to eat or drink, we'll hold up something and you'll shake your head, "No." When we find what you want, you'll wrap your little mouth into a tiny O shape and give us a big gutteral "Oooohhhhh!!!" and laugh. Bingo!
• You love hot dogs and ketchup, although you spend most of the meal dipping your finger into the ketchup and licking it off. 
• You love fresh mandarin/little cutie oranges. You love pancakes and french toast, and love to help make them in the morning. You love Goldfish, but you can easily go through an entire box of chocolate covered peanut butter granola bars in a day. 
• Tonight when I made cookies, you weren't quite on board until you saw me grab my Red Kitchenaid. Then you knew was was coming, and I couldn't whip up that cookie dough fast enough. If I make a pan of cookies ready to go in the over unattended, you will find them, and you will eat the dough with your fingers.
• You love popcorn. If I'd let you, you would eat an entire adult size bag all by yourself. You know the word popcorn, and it's music to your ears. 
• In the past few weeks, you've starting showing your love for trucks, tractors and construction equipment. In the car I will be driving, and all of the sudden you'll point and exclaim from the back. That usually means we've passed a construction site or you've spotted a semi-truck driving near by. 
• This also happens when the UPS/Fed Ex/Mail man drive down our street.

• When Jerry, our neighbor, starts his motorcycle to go for a ride, you insist on dropping what you are doing, climbing up on the toy chest and smashing your face up against the window to watch. 
• You love a good echo, whether it's in Sacrament meeting, a bathroom, or an empty store with good acoustics. Today in Sacrament when I pulled out a sticker book full of tractors and trucks, you could not stop exclaiming, "Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow!" each time you saw a new truck. It was the very first time you have had to leave Sacrament for being too loud, but at least you were happy!
• When Grandpa comes over or you see him on Facetime, your face lights up. I don't think Grandpa quite realizes just how much you adore him!
• You take the best naps. You usually go without a fuss and are down within minutes. You'll sleep for about 2 hours, and I'll wake you up no later than 5. Going to bed is another story. You're a bit of a night owl and really dislike bedtime most nights, but you don't fight us much. Around 9, you'll go down and just need a hug or two after Mommy or Daddy has put you to sleep.
• Your favorite bedtime story is, "Moo, Baa, La La La". 
• If undisturbed, you'll sleep well past 10, 10:30AM.
• You love Icees, Milkshakes and pop from McDonalds. You always make eyes at the drive through ladies. 
• While you're excited to see Daddy when he comes home, and you'll run to the front door screaming "Daddy! Daddy!", you'll usually jet right past him when you get outside and grab your car to push it around the street on the side walk, over and over and over and over and over again. 
• You can take or leave the pool. 
• For a while there your favorite movie was Despicable Me, or Despicable Me 2. 
• Now however, you are a Toy Story fan all the way. We're very lucky there are 3 movies and a few mini-movies, because we cycle through them a lot.
• You carry around a Buzz Lightyear toy and make flying noises with your mouth in a perfect little pout. Even when we first get you up in the morning you'll do it, and won't leave the bed without Buzz.
• Your favorite TV show is Rabbid Rabbits, or Max and Ruby. Sadly, you don't get excited about Peppa Pig or Paw Patrol as much as you used to. 
• You're such a tough little kid. You're constantly bonking your head, scraping your knees or falling on your butt, but you get right back up and keep going.
• You can put your shoes on by yourself, and will often do so and then come find Mommy or Daddy and hand us our shoes. I think you're trying to tell us something. 
• When Nana comes to visit, you climb into her car as fast as you can, and you're just devastated if you don't get to leave with her.

You're such an easy baby. This past week it's just been me and you while Autumn is away, and it's been very low stress and my house has never been so clean. Sure, you make messes, but you're happy to help and so self-contained that it's easy for me to get things done. I hope all my babies are as easy as you!