Happy 2nd Birthday, Jensen Todd!

Dear Jensen,

Happy 2nd birthday, Jensen...aka Mr. Dude, Mr. Man, Mr. Mister,  The Dude, Wild Man, Baby Boy, etc. etc. etc.! When you were just a few months old, I remember telling your Grandma that every time I looked at you, I just kept thinking that you looked really familiar to me. Almost like I had seen you somewhere before. I just knew you. Now that everyone tells me how much we look alike, I have to wonder if I got that feeling because looking at your eyes is a bit like looking into the mirror. But even though you look so much like me, I have noticed that you seem to have developed quite a few of your Daddy's personality traits. First of all: your temper! You are a very determined little boy who is intent on doing things yourself. Whenever you try something, you try your absolute hardest and don't give up...we admire that so much about you. You are very smart and can usually figure things out fairly quickly. But when something just doesn't work the way you want, your little temper flares! Like Daddy, you enjoy putting things together and figuring out how things work.You also love to help your Dad work on things around the house. The minute he gets out any kind of tool,  you are right there beside him investigating, watching, and doing your best to help! Whenever we give you a job to do, you take it very seriously and show so much pride in your accomplishments. You make us so proud.

One other trait you seem to have gotten from your Dad is a bit of...I don't know, I guess you could call it fussiness. You like things to be just so...for example, if you spot a piece of thread or paper or other trash on the carpet, you immediately say, "Uh-oh!" and pick it up and bring it to me so I will throw it away. If your hands are sticky you immediately ask me to wash them off...sometimes I'll wash your hands a couple times throughout the course of a single meal. You are very bothered by dog poop in the yard and make sure you point it out to me so that we can all avoid it. It's pretty funny!

Jensen, you got a note sent home from your teacher one day that said, "Mrs. Clark loves my sense of adventure!". She has often described you as the "adventurous one" in the class...I can't say we are surprised to hear that. You're definitely not the type to cling to Mommy's leg in a new place or situation...you're always off and running, ready to explore! You are constantly on the hunt for what you can get into next. I can't take my eyes off you for a second...you definitely keep me on my toes. We've had a couple scary times with you over the past year in which we've taken our eyes off you momentarily and looked up to find you nowhere in sight. You are so fast and you seem to seize any chance you get to head out for adventure.

One difficulty we have had to face this year is your poor little ears. You have become very prone to ear infections, and no matter how we try to prevent them, they just seem to keep coming back.You are a tough little guy, so sometimes it's hard for us to tell when you're hurting. We are currently awaiting your first appointment with an ENT to get you checked out and see what might be going on. Even though your ear infections have been unpleasant, I am constantly thankful that you and Charlotte are otherwise healthy kiddos and we haven't had any more serious issues with you two.

You recently got another note sent home from school...this one saying you were "so sweet". I must say, I agree with that one as well! Even though you are a rough-and-tumble little dude, you are still a mommy's boy. You will often come to me saying, "Pick me up!" and I usually can't help but give in. You like to say "I love you" to us...it comes out sounding like, "I you tooooo!". For some reason you always nod your head when you say it, and you always say it twice. I like to think that you just really love us a lot! We also have a nice little bedtime routine: You pick one book for me to read you...usually, it's one called 'I Love You, Stinky Face' (but you just call it 'Stinkface'). After the book is over and I say, "The end!" you flip over and rest your head on my shoulder. I sing you a few songs and you snuggle in tight. I always make sure to end your day by telling you how special you are, because no matter how our day has gone, that is one thing that I always want you to remember as you go to sleep. I love that even though during the day you are too busy to cuddle with mom, you still like your snuggles at night. As I sit and rock you, I often glance down at your little legs...you have to bend your knees to allow you enough room to fit on my lap. I cannot even imagine the day when you are too big to fit at all. You are just growing up so fast, little dude.

Guess what, Buddy? This year you fell in love for the first time (besides your Mommy of course; I will always be your first love!). A 2nd grader named Rylee who lives two doors down became the object of your affection. You loved her long curly hair and the fact that she always wore sparkly t-shirts. She would always come play with you and sis when she got home from school and you would just light up the minute she came into sight. You'd go play in her driveway and when I'd try to get you to come home for dinner you would just have no part of it...so Rylee would always have to hold your hand and walk you home. But then the inevitable came...Rylee decided that the 3rd grader across the street is a more suitable playmate than you and sis. And you got your little heart broken for the first time. When Rylee would walk by to go play with her new friend without so much as a glance in your direction, you just didn't understand. You'd yell, "Ry-eeee" and try to run after her. I would watch your sweet eyes fill up with tears and try really hard not to cry myself...my heart broke for you. And I felt so helpless and angry at fact that someone was hurting my little boy; truly, it has to be one of the worst feelings in the world. Even though I'd do anything possible to keep you from feeling pain, I know that won't always be possible. There may be more "Rylees" in your future...whether in the form of an actual person or just a disappointing event in your life. But I know you will get through and come out stronger, because you are tough and you are strong...and you will always have your dad and me to be there for you, love you unconditionally, and remind you that you are nothing short of amazing.

Jensen, this year you have amazed us with your intelligence, empathy toward others, sweet nature, and love of life. We are so proud that you are our son. May you always laugh as often and as loudly as you do now. We love you, Mr. Dude!