a letter to my birthday girl...

Sofia,
I sit in bed after a looonnggg day preparing decorations and food for your 2nd birthday party! It blows me away that you have been here, in our arms, for 2 years. You my dear are a gem, I can't fathom a single day without you here with us. You are beautiful and precious and have taught your father and I more about parenting in 2 years then I think many have learned in a lifetime!
I want to remember everything about you at this stage of life so I want to tell you about who you are as a 2 year old. You are a BIG SISTER! Although your little brother has only been here for a couple months you have formed a bond and attachment to him that makes us so happy! You love to give him his binky when he cries and you love to "chat" with him, he loves to give you grins which always result in you giggling! Being a Big Sister has also shown some challenges for you sweet girl. You are a mommas girl, you always have been, you used to be so clingy I could rarely put you down, especially if we were around people you weren't familiar with. You have come a long way and (especially if Avs with you) you are much more willing to venture out on your own. BUT you arent always fond of how much time Reiter spends in my arms. It breaks my heart when he is fussy and has to be held and you cry because you want to be held as well, I try my best to hold you both but it is not always possible and you are learning patience as you wait your turn. Life is busy with you and your siblings Sof but I adore the time I get to hold and snuggle just you baby girl, I hope you know that you are special to me and your daddy.
You are a LITTLE SISTER! Being the little sister is so fun for you. You adore Averi, the 2 days a week that Averi is at school you ask constantly "mommy wheres Averi?" it is so sweet. You love to play with your big sis, you follow her around everywhere and copy everything she says and does. You bicker with one another over toys and books but are slowly learning to share and handle your arguments calmly! Averi adores you sweetie... when you are 15 remember that! I hope you are best friends always!
You are the middle! I used to worry that you will be "lost" between your big sister and little brother but you have enough personality for 15 kids so I find myself worrying about that less and less! A friend of mine told me when I was pregnant with Reiter that the middle is the cheese to a grilled cheese, and it is the truth, we would be no good with out you in the middle keeping it all together little girl. You are precious!
You are a talker! Oh my we get told all the time how shocked people are by the amount you talk. I believe this is another benefit of being the little sister as you imitate your big sister! You speak in full sentences in a tiny raspy voice! You are funny, REALLY funny... you keep your daddy and I laughing! Everyone who meets you instantly falls in LOVE because you are so sweet with your words and actions!
You are STUBBORN... at 2 your stubbornness can be quite a challenge. It often takes several rounds of discipline to get you to stop doing something and many times you do the same thing you have just been disciplined for while looking at us smiling just to see if we will actually discipline you again, which we do. It is an exhausting never ending cycle! But your personality,especially in this regard, has taught me so much on true patience, I pray that I will always discipline you out of love and in a way that points you towards your heavenly Father, not in a way that purely shows you my lack of patience and frustration! I am also learning to pray not that you would not be stubborn, because that is part of who you are, heck you were that way in my belly, you were 3 days LATE! Instead I have started praying that God would use your stubbornness to his glory, that you would learn to be stubborn in your beliefs but also to bend your will to the Lords will for your life, He has big plans for you baby girl this I know is true!
You are gorgeous! You have the biggest blue eyes with KILLER lashes! It has taken two full years for you to finally have some hair but it was worth the wait as your hair has come in in gorgeous blonde curls! Your sweet grin lights up the room.
You are sensitive. You feel so sad for others when they are sad that you cry a long with them. When Averi cries in time out you stand a few feet away saying "it ok Averi it ok" you can see the distress on your face because you hate her being in pain. I love this characteristic about you. God has given you a heart for others and I believe if you allow him to he will use that heart to touch so many others!
You are LOUD! You laugh loudly! You talk LOUDLY! You run around like a wild women... LOUDLY! And I LOVE that about you! I love to chase you, to tickle you and to hear your wild laugh!
You are passionate! You literally do everything with every ounce of your being. When you throw a fit it is a fit that takes a minimum of 30 minutes to get under control. When you hug you do it with all of you, tightly and yet gently, it is so sweet and I cant get enough of them! You do everything to your fullest ability and therefore live every moment to the fullest I wish I was more like you in this regard!
Pearly, we love you. We are honored to be your parents! We knew from the 1st day we held you that you were not going to be an easy baby, and you aren't, you keep us on our toes but in turn you have bound us together as parents, as a family, and you make up for those hard moments with your love, smiles, passion, kisses and hugs! I praise the Father for giving me you to call my daughter!