Dear 2 1/2 Year Old Nate

Dear 2 1/2 Year Old Nate,

You turned 2 1/2 on September 19th and you are my wild and crazy boy. While there are times that you are calm, the easiest way to describe you is a bull in a china shop. You just go and go!

Thanks to a nasty cold, you got to go see the doctor this week so I know you weigh 33 pounds and are 37 inches tall.  The doctor and nurses were so very impressed with you and your language. You were so well behaved while we were there and that makes Mommy so proud. 

You wear mostly 3T clothes. I pulled out your winter clothes from last year and we had to pass them all onto your cousin Brennen because your legs are just too long for 2T pants. You can still wear some 2T shirts, but I mainly buy you 3T clothes because the sleeves are longer. You wear size 10 shoes! 

While there are times when we can't understand you, you talk a lot. You have awesome language skills, probably on the level of a 3 year old. You can communicate what you want without any problems. Everyone is impressed by the things you say.

You still love books and that makes Mommy so happy. You love the library and when we drive by it, you ask to go inside. You love the toys they have, but more importantly, you love being able to get books to bring home.

You are still and I think always will be a gross motor skill kid. You walk, run, and jump like a much older child. Just last night, you and I were outside playing soccer and you can run and kick the soccer ball like a pro. You love soccer, baseball, basketball, skateboarding, golf, and just recently, you fell in love with throwing a frisbee.

You love to be outside and one of your favorite places is the playground. Thankfully, we live close to lots of parks and you have a special name for each one. One of your favorites is the pirate park and the seesaw park. While you love the slides and climbing parts of the park, your favorite thing to do is swing. You would swing all day if you could.

You learned how to pedal your bike, but you would much rather just push it with your feet because you can make it go really fast that way. You love your bike and beg to do it quite often. You love riding your bike down to the mailbox with Daddy.

You are still quite the little eater, although you've gotten quite picky at times. Sometimes, you'll scarf down your food and then other times, we have to encourage you to eat. It just depends on the day and what is going on. You still love pancakes, but you also love hot dogs, waffles, oranges, yogurt, fruit snacks, bananas, cereal bars, doughnuts, and hamburgers.

You still take one nap in the afternoon and I think that you'll continue for quite some time. I don't think there's ever been a day when you've gone the whole day without a nap. You just need that extra rest throughout the day and Mommy and Daddy do, too.

You still sleep pretty well at night. You go to bed sometime between 7:30-9, depending on what's going on the next day, and sleep until 7:30 most mornings. When you wake up, you'll hang out in your bed and read and play. We love that you can be happy in the mornings.

Since your 2 year old update, you have moved to a big boy bed, a full size bed that we already had in your room since your room doubles as the guest room. While we feared this transition, it was super easy. You did great. Other than a few times the first few nights, you now stay in your bed and sleep well. You still sleep with your Monk Monk and Elmo. If I let you, you'd carry them around all day every day, but we normally have a rule that they have to stay in your bed.

You are now potty trained.  You woke up one day asking for undies and after a week of accidents here and there, you then woke up that Friday telling me you had to go potty.  It was like a light switch was turned on and you finally realized that you could know when you needed to go potty. You wear undies during your nap and diapers at night. Even with the diapers at night, you are normally dry 4 or more nights out of the week.

We still think that you'll be a lefty. You use your right hand every now and then, but you are much better with your left. You bat like a lefty and kick the soccer ball with your left foot.

You love anything that has to do with art like painting, coloring, playdough, etc. This makes Daddy very happy and I think that one day, you guys can make things together. When you do draw, you love to draw circles and you've actually gotten quite good at it. 

While you still don't recognize most of the letters of the alphabet, you do know that they are letters and can sing your ABC's.

You can count from 1-14 and you love lining up your cars and counting them.  You also know your colors and your shapes.

You love TV and ask for it when you wake up, which we don't mind since it allows all of us some time to cuddle and wake up together. Your favorite shows are Curious George, Fresh Beat Band, Super Why, The Cat in the Hat, and pretty much anything on PBS.

Cars is still probably your favorite movie, but you also love Bambi, Dumbo, and Monster's Inc.

You started preschool in August and you love it. You get in trouble sometimes, but what can I say!!  You're all boy and a follower at times. It's going to happen. You love your teachers and ask for them when we aren't at school. If I ask you what you did at school, you'll say play. :)

I'm so glad that you love school and their playground. When we drive by it while running errands, you immediately let us know that it's your school and your playground. You've had to adjust to taking a nap at school in a room with other kids, but you're getting there. You love your little cot.

You still love playing with trains and cars. You also love to do puzzles and to work on your tool bench. You are getting good at building towers with your blocks and your imagination is really growing.

If I ask you if you grew in my belly, you'll say no and that you grew in another Mommy's belly. While there are lots of things that you have yet to learn about your adoption, it makes us happy to know that you can understand some simple things about your story.

You are one special boy and I thank God everyday that He brought us together.

We'll love you forever,

We'll like you for always.

As long as I'm living,

My baby, you'll be.

We love you little man!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Your Big Day

Dear Sweet Big Boy,

Today is going to be a big day for you. In about 8 hours, you and I are going to get into the car and drive to school for your first day of preschool.  Your little backpack is ready and your clothes are sitting on your dresser waiting for you when you wake up.  It's hard to believe that the time has come. 

I'll be honest with you and tell you that my heart is a little sad.  I know that you are ready for school, there's not a doubt in my mind, but tonight, when I went in to check on you, all I could think about was that first night I spent with you in the hospital.

I remember holding you and watching you sleep, kissing your nose and telling you how much I already loved you.  You were so handsome and perfect and so very little.  You needed me and to be quite honest, I needed you.  You are our son, the child that God chose just for us.  You have made us both so happy. 

We've watched you grow and rejoiced with you over the milestones you've accomplished.  We've cheered you on as you started to crawl and when you took your first steps.  We have smiled and laughed as we've watched you go from a little tiny 7 pound baby to a crazy and wild 2 1/2 year old.  Now, the time has come for us to cheer you on again as you tackle your next big milestone, your first day of school. 

Even though you'll be right down the hall from me, I'm going to miss you being my little shadow.  I'm going to miss spending my days with you, miss seeing your smile, and I'll even miss you asking me to play cars with you, something you ask us about 100 times each day. 

I hope that you have fun in your new class, that you make new friends, and please, please, please listen and obey your teacher.  I know that this new routine is going to take some time to get used to, especially when you realize that you'll be taking a nap with your new classmates, but I know that before long, you'll be singing new songs that you've learned and telling me about all the things that you've done in your new classroom.

I guess my heart hurts, too, because I know that someday, you'll grow up like your weekend brother Perry and you'll not only be heading off to preschool, but to college.  Your first day of school tomorrow is just another reminder that they day is coming.   Just remember that no matter what, you'll always be my little baby.  I love you, Nathan Gregory.  Have a great first day of school.  Your daddy and I are so proud of the little boy that you've become.

 

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always.
As long as I'm living,
My baby, you'll be. 


Love,
Mommy