Snapshot of Darcie - Age 2 and 4 months

 

Darcie Catherine - Age 2 and 4 Months

Dearest Darcie Catherine,

Little, petite, toddler Darcie.  Just looking at you no one would ever guess what a tornado you have turned into these past few months.  When you were an infant we used to call you our "somber baby" because it took so much to coax a smile from you and you were almost always quietly observing the world around you.  I was starting to worry about you last spring when you hit nursery and were still saying very few words.  However, I remember the week before we moved from our Cottonwood house in June (you were 20 months old), the floodgates suddenly burst open and the outpouring of energy and words hasn't stopped since!

You are at a stage where you are learning at a rapid pace.  You know almost all of your ABCs (for some reason you cannot remember the letter "E" to save your life!) and often burst into rounds of the ABC song over and over again as you work on a puzzle or kick your legs back and forth in your carseat.  You know all your colors, the sounds the animals make, numerous sign language signs and are learning to count small groupings.

When you are happy, you are the stinkin cutest kid in the universe!  You have a great sense of humor and love to get us all laughing at your silliness.  You have music in your soul and any time there is the slightest beat, rhythm or singing, you start to sway and sing.  When we sing hymns in church, you always join in, singing whatever jibberish you want while trying to match the notes and tones.  It never fails to get the ward members sitting around us to smile and laugh.  You love the attention and ham it up all the more!  Speaking of church, you LOVE nursery and every time sacrament meeting is winding down you turn to Daddy or I in excitement and ask, "I go nursery?!"

When you're not happy (which sadly is often)...watch out!  The terrible twos are a real deal with you sweetheart!  You are so independent and want to try to do everything by yourself from washing your hair to going potty, but unfortunately this often ends up with shampoo in your eyes and pee all over your clothes.  Ugh.  You scream the most awful high pitched scream whenever things aren't going your way, which wakes baby brother up and sends your mama's temper soaring!  I'm trying so very hard to be patient with you each day and have taken to praying mightily day and night for you.  I have also instituted "Special Time" each day when Daphne leaves for school and before you go down for your nap.  It's a time where I give you my undivided attention for 15 minutes while we read books or do puzzles (your fav), really whatever your little heart desires.  It seems to help calm you down and reassure you of my love and devotion to you.

It is such a battle to keep you in your chair during meals and we constantly have to chase you down and bring you back to the table.  Who needs food when there is fun to be had?  You are still obsessed with milk and would eat and drink nothing else if we would let you.  We have to remind you every.single.meal that you must eat all your food before you can drink any milk and sometimes the threat of losing milk is enough to get you to eat a few bites.

Speaking of obsessed...you cannot get enough of the men in your life: Daddy and Alan.  I thought your delight over baby Alan would fade after a couple of months, but here we are 5 months in and you are still going strong in your adoration.  I lose track of how many kisses you give him each day and have to be ever vigilant to make sure you are not giving him too much love.  Sometimes I think you think he is a little doll or toy because you don't seem to understand that your constant smothering could possibly hurt him.  You squeal with delight numerous times a day, "Alan is SOOOOO cute!"  And you're absolutely right. :)

Your devotion to your Daddy is equal parts sweet and frustrating.  You have always loved him, but you seem to have become desperately attached since Alan's birth.  When Burke is gone at work, you will come to me no problem, but if he is home, you want absolutely nothing to do with me.  Even when you need help with something like going to the bathroom or getting dressed, you scream your head off if I try to help you and demand, "I want Daddy!" over and over again.  This gets especially frustrating in the middle of the night when I try to help soothe you when you wake for the second and third time and flip out because I'm not Dad.

Although things have been improving over the past month, there was about 6 months there where you would wake up EVERY.SINGLE.NIGHT. usually multiple times.  Between dealing with newborn Alan's sleepless schedule, your awful nighttime habits were equally exhausting (if not more so!).  You have also been a terrible bully to your big sis.  You snatch things out of her hand and run away with them, color on her homework, come up and smack her for no reason and the other day you even took a glass of water and dumped it on her head while she was reading.  You don't seem to care when we put you in time out and are unphased when we yell at you to leave sister alone!  On the other hand, when you two are getting along, you are the best of friends.  Daphne loves to say, "Come on my Little Helper" in a singsong voice and get you to play whatever game she is into.  You are quick to apologize when you have done wrong and it is clear that all the naughtiness is just a desperate attempt to get attention from us or your sister.

*****TIME LAPSE****

Oh Darcie Baby!  I am SOOO glad I didn't get to finish writing this post like I wanted to over 2 weeks ago.  This past weekend our little family took a trip all by ourselves (no visiting other family members entailed).  Although Dad and I knew we both needed a vacation, neither of us realized how badly YOU had needed one too.  I'm not sure what happened, but on our drive home, you woke up from a nap and it was like the terror toddler that you have been for the best couple of months had vanished into thin air.  All week long you have been an absolutely darling to be with.  You have been full of happy energy, quick to listen and obey, kind to your sister and brother and loving to your Mama and Papa.  I am almost in shock over the transformation!  Thank you darling!  Thank you for whatever switched in your little mind and allowed you to turn back into our sunshine girl again!  You have had me giggling all week long and I could just eat you up with the sweetness oozing from you.

Some of your favorite things right now are...

Friend: Hayzlee Quintanilla
Cousins: Elise, Aubrey, Danny, Dax (but you call him Daxie) and Blake
Food: Avacados and humus
Book: Blue Hat, Green Hat (Sandra Boynton) and Up Above and Down Below
Game: Memory and lots and lots of puzzles
TV Show: Curious George

Last night Daddy and I were practicing a song we are going to be performing soon and you belted in with the right lyrics perfectly spot on in both tune and style.  The whole family busted up laughing and we asked you to do it again and again!  You were more than willing to oblige and I just had to pick you up and squeeze you so my heart wouldn't burst from all the love I felt for you in that moment.  Despite the ups and downs of these toddler years, never forget how we love you so!  Grow on little one.

Love you forever and always,

Your Mama