2 years old

Dearest Kekoa,

I can't believe you are already two! It just seems like yesterday I was telling your baba that I was pregnant. Now we have this amazing little boy who is so happy, so sweet, so adventurous, and who loves trains so much! You makes us laugh all the time. You are super goofy and we love it so much.
You are loving life and wake up most days with a huge smile on your face...so excited to see what the day has to offer. You are a little explorer and are obsessed with pushing buttons on things. Right now you are also really into running your hands on everything and touching all the textures. This makes for very filthy hands! :)

You love playing with your friends, and your best friends right now are "Kaper and Mlan" (kasper and milan). You tell me how you miss "pop pop", Kaiwei, Maki, and Auntie Jenny every day. You ask me to call them most days during dinner and have even started saying "mama, call pop pop cell phone"!

I can't believe how much you have grown up and changed. You have gone from being the worst sleeping baby on the planet to now a 2 hour napper (sometimes even longer) Sometimes I have to wake you up because you are napping so long!! You can also sleep through the night now, which I never thought would happen. You start the night off in your bed and then come into our bed at some point in the evening or early morning. You still don't climb off your bed during the night, but wait for us to come get you. You will even sleep in the car now, which I never thought would happen either. I am really proud of what a good sleeper you have become.

You love to eat and when you are hungry you say "sack" (snack). I love that you can tell me what you would like to eat. One of my favorite things you say is "peanut butter bar or peanut butter crackers" and "moke" (milk). Dinner is by far your favorite meal. I really don't know where you are putting it all because you aren't really even chubby anymore. I am thankful that you love your vegetables and are a great eater.

You talk up a storm, talking talking talking all the time. You say the funniest things and have the sweetest sounding voice. I love that right now you say "mama" after so many of your sentences and words. "Help mama", "please mama", "sleepy time mama", "read this mama", "hi mama".... You mix Chinese words with English, but prefer to speak English. You do understand all the Chinese words though, which is awesome.

Books are still a huge hit with you. I often find you in your room, snuggled up with Freddy the teddy bear, reading a book. You have a very long attention span and will sit forever if we are reading stories to you, you never want to get up and do something else, unless it is to find another book to read. I hope this love of books sticks with you.

You and your baba have a very special bond. You become more and more attached to him with each day. When we are not with him, you tell me that you are missing him. You miss him very much when he is at work. Nap time is your special time with your baba. You'll grab whatever you are wanting to sleep with that day (stuffed animal or train) and run into your room to take a nap with baba. It is so cute.

I am loving this stage you are in and wish I could bottle it up to save it for later. We have so much fun and there is a lot of laughter each day. You are a toddler through and through, opinionated and wanting your independence, but always have time for a snuggle and some smoochies.
We love you so much Kekoa Kai!

Happy birthday,
mama and baba