In the last year you have transformed so quickly, it's difficult to keep track of your accomplishments and how much you've grown. Your dad and I are both so proud of you and continue to be so in love with you. When you were a baby, it was hard to imagine that things could get any better, but my boy, you have blown us away. You are so smart and energetic, so kind and polite, so funny and inventive. Sometimes it's entertaining trying to figure out where you get it from.
About you:
You thrive on a schedule. Your internal alarm clock wakes you around 6 a.m. every morning. Your routine is to get up, get changed and head to the kitchen for a snack and some milk. You have lunch every day at the same time, dinner at the same time, bath at the same time and all following the same steps along the way.
You are very independent. In the last few months, you have decided that you want to try doing more things on your own which includes buckling your car seat and booster chair. You aren't afraid to ask for help, although you do say, "help you?" when you are asking for assistance instead of saying, "help me." You want to open and close the car doors by yourself even though they are way too heavy for you. You think that you help open the garage door by pushing it up and pulling it down.
You like to talk. Your daycare teachers recently told me that you are more of an observer in school and that you are quiet. That was shocking news to your dad and I as we have always noticed that you are quite the talker! You frequently have conversations either with us, yourself, your books, or the characters on television shows. I wanted to keep track of your vocabulary but you learn so quickly that it was impossible for me to stay on top of it.
You are so smart. You can count to thirteen, you know all of your colors, and you sing along with the alphabet song. You like to read books. You often choose four or five every night for us to read together before you go to bed. You can name all of the animals in your book about the ocean and most of the animals in your farm book including mimicking the sound they make. You use sign language to say 'more' and you use the terms water, agua, juice, and milk interchangeably.
You are polite. You like to say 'hi' and 'bye' to everyone as we pass by them. You know to say 'please' when you ask for something and say 'thank you' when someone does something for you. When I announce that dinner is ready, you come running and say, "Ooooh, dinner! Thank you Momma," as you climb in your chair.
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You get in to everything. Every part of our home has been child-proofed, but that does not mean Mason-proof. You know where to find the magnets to open our magnet locks, you can jimmy the baby gates open and closed, you can pop open the straps that close up the craft drawer in the living room. When you get into your crafts, you like to spread the supplies around the entire living room and put stickers on most everything. You still like to climb the cat tree and you dump over the dirty laundry basket on a regular basis. You enjoy flushing the toilet and waving, "Bye bye poo poo!" even when there's nothing to flush. You climb in the bathtub fully clothed to draw on the walls with your water markers.
You like to eat. Your favorites are anything pasta. You like chow mein and macaroni and cheese. You can use a fork but choose to use your hands most of the time. You have not mastered table manners yet. My purse and my car have become extensions of our pantry- often housing cheetos, nutrigrain bars, and fruit snacks just in case you ask for "more snack" while signing for "more." You like to share with us and you often feel that what is on our plate or in our glass looks better than what you have, even if it's the exact same thing.
You love your family.
Your favorite part of the day is when your dad comes home. You run out to the garage and help him out of his car. You frequently lunge at him for a hug so swiftly that I almost lose grasp of you.
You still cuddle with me on the couch although it's becoming less frequent. Just last night, you were settled in among a bunch of pillows with one on your lap. You pat the pillow for me to lay down and when I did, you pet my hair so sweetly. I want to always remember that.
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You still love your kitty siblings. Asha just passed away a few months ago and you still ask, "Where's Sasha?" You call Misty, "Sissy." Xerox is "Rox." And Rascal is "Rocko." You are very gentle with them when they allow you to pet them and all of them are your best friend when you are eating because you love to share.
We love you more. We love you more and more every day. We love you on the days that you are a sweetheart. We love you on the days that you are not a sweetheart. You challenge our patience when you are just being a toddler. You challenge our hearts when we don't think we can possibly love you any more than we already do.
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You have been such a blessing to us. Happy Birthday Mason Boo. We love you.
