Letter to My Birthday Baby Girl: 2 Years Old

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My Darling Liv,

    There has always been a place for you in my heart and in our family. I dreamed of you, yearned for you, and prayed for you, and the Lord blessed me with the most precious baby girl to complete our family. You You are our "cherry on top!" You have the cutest personality and you get the attention of everyone in the room wherever we go. Your big blue eyes, beautiful blonde hair, precious round face, and vibrant personality captures the heart of all those who meet you. You are sweet and sassy, but you are also fierce and headstrong and stubborn and determined ... and you shine BIG. And even though you're still not speaking in full sentences, you've been able to communicate what you wanted since the moment I first held you in my arms. You LOVE babies and baby dolls, so we had a "Baby Doll Brunch" for your 2nd birthday. You wore the cutest pink swiss dot outfit that was smocked with "Happy Birthday," and we had donuts, and Chick-Fil-A, and mini baby bottles filled with milk. The whole family and all of your babies were there, and we had so much fun! 

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I love dressing you in traditional smocked dresses and girly bubbles, and I'm savoring every moment of you being my baby. You are still nursing, and you still sleep in the middle of us. You love reading your book about farm animals and playing with the pink kitchen in your playroom that used to be your sister's. You always have a baby doll or a baby in a stroller, and you love singing to your babies...especially "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." I've been worried about your speech, as your siblings were already talking in full sentences at your age, but the speech therapist evaluated you and said you are "just fine"... that you're the baby of the family who doesn't have to talk because someone is always anticipating your needs... so true! You know what every thing, but you just have a little trouble with saying certain letters and enunciating certain sounds. Your new favorite songs are "Baby Shark" and "Mommy Finger," and it's so cute when you sing them!

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You were fascinated by Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny this year, and wanted to see them all the time, but you just didn't want to sit in their laps! You loved Halloween, Mr. Bones (our skeleton we put on the porch in October) and "scary things" - and you love when the boys scare you or when you get to play hide-and-seek. You're a little mess maker deluxe, and you can make messes around the house faster than I can clean them up! Most of the time they consist of nail polish or make-up, as your favorite thing in the entire world is LIPSTICK! Going in Ulta is like heaven for you, and when we go in Dillard's I have to let you sit up on the make-up counter and try on a few samples!

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Liv Loves:

-golf cart rides with the big kids

-playing with our neighbor, Cece

-"kitty tats"

--all animals and puppies, especially farm animals

-playing with your pink kitchen

-playing hide-and-seek

-babies and baby dolls

-tomatoes

-ice cream

-swimming (or "float" as you say!), especially hot tubs 

-taking baths (or "ot tub" as you call it)

-mommy's milk ("Milk now please!)

-making messes in La La's (Wa Wa's) room

-dance class with Miss Darana

-watching Diana and Roma ("Di Di") on YouTube

-eggs and bacon

-spinach artichoke dip from Paul's Place

-candy!

-drawing ("waw")

-playing with your baby doll playdough set

-dresses and shoes ("so coot" - cute)

-standing up on/walking around the big kitchen island

-playing music and dancing to Alexa

-being outside

-jumping on the trampoline

-lipstick, make-up, and nail polish ("I do it!)

-being with your Nana Karen ("Nana house!)

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My verse for you this year is Psalm 121:7-8

The Lord will keep you from all harm—

    he will watch over your life;

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the Lord will watch over your coming and going

 both now and forevermore.

Your name means "shelter" or "protection" in Old Norse, and the Lord has protected you and been your shelter since the day you were born and you had to go to the NICU. One morning, I was backing out of the garage and you got out the side door. You hadn't turned two yet, and there's no way I could have heard your little voice, but I heard you very loudly...almost as if you were talking in my ear or like you were in the back seat. I almost put the car in drive and pulled out to work, but something made me put it in park. Your little voice continued to talk and so I turned about and asked myself if you had gotten in the car and were hiding. I kept hearing you talk, but you were no where in the car. I got out and there you stood...silent and standing right in front of my car where I couldn't even see you. The Lord was your shelter from harm that day. And there have been several other incidents where the Lord has protected you and made a shelter over you. 

My prayer is that He will ALWAYS be your refuge and shelter, and that He will continue to protect you from harm all the days of your life.

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I love your so much, Livi Mae, and I truly cannot imagine our family without you. You are full of energy, full of life, and full of determination..but guess what? So is your mama. You give me a run for my money, and I think I've finally found my match. You love pulling hair and sometimes biting, which makes for a very difficult time getting you in your car seat. You know what you want, and you know how to get it...a girl after your mama's own heart. You can definitely hold your own around our crazy Ruckus, and we are all just crazy about the baby!

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I love you forever and always, my Liv -

Mommy

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