Two weeks

In two weeks, my little girl will be two years old...

This is what Hudson looked like two weeks before his 2nd birthday-
Yes, we're in the hospital with Avery the newborn! I truly only remember this time with total joy and fondness. Truly. Hudson was the gentlest, sweetest, most precious little two year old big brother. He has loved her from the start.

Sadly, I still kind of shutter when I think of the first few weeks of Hudson's life :) The physical pain of recovery, the emotional hormonal roller coaster. But the fullness in my heart could make me sit and sob right now!

Perhaps it's the time of year-- the holidays, my children's birthdays-- but I'm feeling so very nostalgic these days. Maybe it's because my perfect little newborn baby girl, who slept like a champ, and never cried-- is a full blown toddler who keeps me on my toes constantly to put it nicely!

But here we are, two weeks from her second birthday. If I had to think of Avery with just one word, it would be passion. The kind of emotion she can evoke from me is ridiculous :). Yesterday she came into my room, wearing only her diaper and her brother's camo rain boots. They came up well past her knees making it difficult for her to walk so she was laughing hysterically and swaying like a drunk sailor. It made me laugh out loud and hug and squeeze her as tight as I could! Not ten minutes before I'd heard her shout at her big brother to "shut up" leaving her in time out and me wondering what in the world I was going to do with that one. When confronted about the usage of the words, "shut up" she buried her face in her hands and peeked out one eye, then slowly showed her little sheepish grin- a flirty face to try to get out of trouble. Are you kidding me? It made me furious. How was my not even 2 year old trying to manipulate me to get out of trouble?! (it did not work by the way.)

In only 10 minutes, extreme emotion from her and myself. Happy, funny, adorable, joy. Passion. Stubborn, manipulative, ugly words, stinker. I am so passionate about her. If I didn't love her so much that it physically hurts sometimes, I wouldn't care if her mouth said ugly words. If I wasn't so in love with her, her rain boot wearing would not have been nearly as cute! She and I are so much alike emotionally- extreme that is :) She is so passionate, one extreme or another, she cares a lot about a lot of things! And boy am I passionate for her. Attitude and all...

Last night after a tantrum over whether or not she would brush her own teeth or I would do it... (I did! I get them clean, then she can play.), we went into her room and she wanted her pjs that are " jammies dot- dee- dot". I smiled and asked her if she wanted her pink polka dots pajama pants. She said, "I love them. I hug them." And she hugged and patted her pajamas up on her shoulder! Yes, she loves them that much. I think I'll keep her!

The whole motherhood things sure takes a lot out of me.