two and a half years!

Dear Merit Fey,

A month ago you turned two and a half! Seems so old to me and definitely too old for my first baby girl. Your daddy thinks I'm crazy, but I like to celebrate half birthdays. Here you are on all of your half birthdays so far...

6 months old - 9.22.08

18 months old - 9.22.09

2.5 years old - 9.22.10

The last 6 months have been packed with all kinds of fun and momentous occasions in your little life - some of the most important so far. Here is a little of what you have been up to since you turned two.

APRIL 2010

Easter

your first camping trip

MAY 2010

the Great Flood of '10

a trip to Abilene

Your daddy and I left you for the first time to go to California. Nina and PaPa came to stay with you, and we were oh, so glad to see you when we got back!

JUNE 2010

lots of swimming

a baby shower for your baby sister

Nina took us to your second movie in the theater - Toy Story 3

JULY 2010

The biggest thing that happened in July was that you slept in your crib one last time...

...and got a big girl bed!

AUGUST 2010

On our last little outing just the 3 of us, we took you to the fair and you rode your very first fair rides! You had the greatest time ever (even though it was like 100 degrees that day).

Let's see...what else happened in August...oh yeah! Your world changed for the better when you finally met your baby sister, August Rose!

SEPTEMBER 2010

lots of loving on baby sister

a trip to Pigeon Forge with Grammie and Popsy that included more fun rides

yogurt at Sweet CeCe's on your half birthday!

So here is what things are like these days. I am so amazed by all that you are learning, remembering, saying, and doing at two and a half years old. 

You love to paint, color, or draw.

  You have been really into drawing happy faces for the last few months. One day in April, you drew this and told me it was a "happy face."

Since then, your happy faces have started to actually look like happy faces, and you are completely obsessed. Any paper you color or draw on will have no less than 10 happy faces on it before you move on to something else. You have also started putting arms, legs, ears, and hair on your faces.
(By the way, you said that the picture in the top right corner is a picture of all your "grand-daughters".)

 You are also into:

• what you call "my TV" - favorite shows being Dora, Diego, Max and Ruby, and Yo Gabba Gabba
• books before bedtime with Daddy - some of your favorites right now are "Mine-o-saur", "I'm a Big Sister", "Roar of a Snore", and your Eloise Wilkin storybook
• playing with your baby dolls, dollhouse, and ponies - favorite being Baby Lisa, the baby Nina and PaPa got you when August was born and all of your My Little Ponies
• singing - your favorites songs are Twinkle Twinkle, ABC's, Jesus Loves Me, Wonder Pets, and making up your own using the end of a broom as a microphone. You've also got a thing for Lady GaGa and Glee songs. :)
• dancing - you'll dance to anything, but you really like to do ballet. You actually do it pretty well, too!
• going to the park - you could swing for hours, and always find a new friend while we're there.
• friends - you LOVE it when you get to play with Audrey, Ava, Jake, Liam, or your "new boy" Jack. You also love your cousins Macy and Zoey.
• people in general - you'll talk to anyone. Sometimes if we are in a store or somewhere, you don't understand if you say hi to someone, and they don't say hi back. And you don't just say hi, it is usually, "Hi, I Merit!" 
• snacks - you love a good snack. Your favorites are "fwoot snacks!", goldfish, apples, and cookies.
• talking - some of my favorite things you say/have said lately:  
-"Merit's pwetty...August's pwetty...Mama's pwetty...Daddy's pwetty. (pause) He boy pwetty." 

- "Miss Candy says 'No No No'." (Miss Candy is your Bible class teacher - wonder why she was saying that??)

 - After getting a yogurt parfait at McDonald's on a random day, you said, "Thanks for the Hadonald's, Mama. This the best birthday ever." (You call McDonald's "Hadonald's" because you relate it with "Old McDonald HAD a farm". Pretty cute.)

- "muse-kit" - music

- "Mama, you my best friend." You have also told your daddy this a time or two. :)

The main thing I will remember about you at two and a half is that you are now someone's sister. Although it hasn't been the easiest transition for you, it has been an honor for me to witness you go from our only baby girl to our oldest daughter. 

You're a great big sister, baby girl.

The first few weeks with August were tough, on you and me both. You would love on her, then give her a little slap or poke before you walked away. And fits - big ones - were a daily occurence for a while. You spent a lot of time here. :(

But you are finally adjusting to life after baby sister, and you are actually very protective of her now. You'll tell other people not to touch YOUR baby. You go on and on about how cute she is and love to hold her in your lap and kiss her cheeks. She'll be your best friend someday, I'm sure of it. How incredibly blessed y'all are to have each other, and how blessed August is that YOU are her big sister! I pray that she learns to how to be friendly and love people like you do. You'll teach her things and be things for her that your daddy and I simply won't be able to do or be. Someday you'll realize how incredibly special that is.

So, Merit Fey, happy half birthday. I love every sweet, stubborn, hilarious, loving, frustrating, determined, kind, thoughtful, smart, and beautiful part of your two-year-old self. You'll be three before we know it, and with that will come new adventures and milestones. I can't wait to experience them with you. One of my greatest honors in life, sweet girl.

much love, 

your Mama

two yeaR letteR...

Dear Merit Fey,

Last month you turned two. TWO! It is hard to believe that your baby days are over (I loved your baby days), but these days are just as fun. With each new phase that you enter, I can't help but think it is my new favorite. I'm sure that someday when you are able to read back through these letters to you, you will see that I say that each and every time. I just love you so much, baby girl. I love holding your hand as we walk. I love how you sometimes put your hand on your cheek as you point to something you think is exciting. I love your curls. I love it all.

One of my favorite things about two-year-old Merit is having little conversations with you and hearing your sweet voice make words and sentences. One of the things we hear most often from you is, "What doin'?" When we are in the car, our conversation usually goes something like this:

Merit: Mama, what doin'?

Mama: I'm driving. What are you doing?

Merit: I sit in seat. (a few seconds later) Mama, what doin'?

Mama: Still driving. What are you doing?

And, usually, what you are doing is getting ready to ask me what I am doing again. You especially like to ask the check-out people at stores what they are doing. They usually get a kick out of it...especially when you ask for the 3rd or 4th time. You are also always sure to tell them, "Bye! See ya soon!" before we head out the door. I love how you always seem to make the day of so many, including your Daddy and me.

And you are as polite as they come. You remember to say thank you even when I don't, and when we thank you for something, you answer with a sweet, "Thankum" (welcome). You love saying, "Sess you" when someone sneezes, and if someone is in your way, you'll offer a little "Scu me." If you forget to say please, we'll ask, "What do you say?" And you'll respond, "I say peas." I'm sure that has something to do with your Texas roots. :)

Some of our favorite things that you say:

Kyna spicy - (kinda spicy) Spicy is probably my favorite word of yours right now. You always use it in the right context, and you sound SO cute when you say it....you even look cute because you squint your eyes a little when you say "spicy".

O-KAY!! - When we offer something to you that you are excited about, you will always answer with an emphatic, "O-kay!" If we mention that we are going to go somewhere, you'll say, "O-KAY! Let's go! Let's do it!"

I anna wash Idol - (I wanna watch Idol, as in American Idol) You will say this at random times throughout the day. You love music and anything having to do with it, so it is no surprise that watching Idol every week is a favorite of yours.

Meh-ut - (Merit) I have always loved hearing anyone say your name, but I especially love hearing you say it. You have started introducing yourself (and us) to strangers. "Hi! I Meh-ut. Thas Mama. Thas Daddy."
I yu you! - (I love you) Need I say more?
cassole - (castle) You think any big, pretty building is a castle. When we drive up to our church, you say, "Look! It's my cassole!"

Watching you learn everyday is such a privilege. It is truly an amazing experience. You can name all of your letters (with the exception of one or two), numbers, colors, and most shapes. I have heard you count to 13. You usually won't count when we ask you to, but you count things on your own all the time. Here is a video of you a few months ago when we had first starting working on your letters. I can't believe how much you have already changed since then. Not only do you know more letters, but your voice is already a little older sounding, and your face looks more like a little girl's and less like a baby's. (Sigh.) I could watch this video over and over.

You have, of course, grown and changed so much in the last 6 months. They have been a fun 6 months...

September - 18 month Chair and Bear pic

October - cute little gnome for your 2nd Halloween

November - We moved to a house - the first actual house we have lived in since your Daddy and I got married.

November - We celebrated our 5th anniversary, and I spent my first night away from you since you were born.

November - We visited your uncle Matt and aunt Nikki for Thanksgiving. This was your first of what will hopefully be many trips to Colorado.

December - We found out that you are going to be a big sister!

December - You loved this year's ornament - none other than your best bud Elmo!

December - "Ho Ho" came to visit you at our house!

December - Christmas in Jackson with the Albright side of your family

December - Christmas in Abilene with the Wallace side of your family

January - the first of many snows this winter in Nashville

January - You had your first stomach virus this month and shared it with your Daddy and I. I took this picture when we finally got out of the house after being stuck for a week because of both the snow and the stomach bug.

February - We took a trip to Abilene where it also snowed. You built your first snowman with Nina, PaPa, Macy, and Zoey.

Macy taught you how to do snow angels.

And March! - You turned two with a fun candy party! I absolutely loved putting that party together for you.

Your first Chair and Bear pic ever and your two-year Chair and Bear pic.

And there ya have it, baby girl. Another year has come and gone. I loved the tiny newborn Merit whose big eyes took in everything around her. I loved the chubby baby Merit who learned to crawl and discovered that her world was bigger than the blanket laid out on the living room floor. I loved the fun toddler Merit who communicated everything through squeals and laughs as she unsteadily walked throughout the house. And I now love beautiful little girl Merit - loving us and others through your sweet words and actions. I can't wait to see you become a big sister this year. Your little sister is going to adore you just as much as we do, and you are simply going to fall in love with her. I just know it. I pray that you two will be the best of friends. One last time, Happy 2nd Birthday, Merit Fey. We love you, oh, so very much.