Dear Reece,

Today you are officially a "year and a half" old. Now when people ask I can tell them in terms of years (instead of months) how old you are. It's mind-boggling, really, how quickly this day sneaks up on me each month when I have to write you your letter. A year and a half has gone by since you came into our lives. What did we do before you were in our lives?
We certainly didn't laugh this much. You are amazingly funny and crack us up all the time! Just this week you started saying "bad boy bad boy" whenever you see a cop on tv. You will shreik and run across the house when you hear the COPS theme song. You spin yourself so much sometimes you make yourself dizzy. You know how to do the chicken dance. Who taught you THAT? You say "ah ah ah ah ah ah AH AH AH CHOO!" to get our attention in the car. You kiss your "ishies" when we leave for school each morning. That giggle. That smile. What did we do without it?

What did we do without you? We didn't realize how interesting it is watching you learn and grow. Each day you learn something new and we wonder how your little mind picks up all these new things. Today on the way to school you shouted "big truck". You know that in the mornings we go outside to see the "moon". You go outside and shout for Riley to come in from doing her business. You are an artist. You clean up your messes. Thunder and the vacuum cleaner still scare you. You know where we keep the broom. You are such a sponge. We never realized what sponges toddlers were until we had one of our own.

What did we do without you? Well, our water bill was a little lower and our house was definitely cleaner. I've learned to "let things go" sometimes. Our living room has been overtaken by trucks and blocks. Our back porch is now the home to a slide and a bounce house. I recently washed a bus in the laundry with the darks. There is a macaroni noodle on our bathroom floor. I am constantly reminded by your little gifts everywhere that we have a toddler living amongst us. Finding little reminders of you in random places makes me smile. Lanundry can wait. The dishes will get done. There is no getting these precious moments together back after they're gone.

What did we do without you? I'll admit, forever ago I thought I would be a Mommy to girls. I've realized that being a Mommy to a boy suits me even better. You've taught me to appreciate the little things in life, like dirt, monster trucks, and animals. You have an affinity for all things small, hairy, and 4-legged. You're rambunctious, clumsy, and energetic. You love to play in the yard and in the water. I could watch you play all day! You play independently by pushing your trucks around and under things, you rearrange thr fridge and tupperware cabinets all the time. You make messes and you blow kisses. Girls? Who needs 'em?

Our lives have changed so much since you have come into it. I would not change one second of it! I've slowed down a little bit and have realized that the most important thing I have been called to do in this world is be your Mommy.

I love you from your nose to your toes,

Mommy