My beautiful Natalie,
I can’t believe that today you are two! I still remember bringing you home from the hospital, completely clueless as to what to do with you. These past two years have been quite an adventure. Somehow I think we’ve found our rhythm as mother and daughter. You are my treasure; the best gift God has given me.
There are so many things that I love about you. I love how nurturing you have become. Whenever one of your friends is crying you will go over and give them a hug or their favorite toy. I also love how special you think you are when you get to hang out with the “big” kids after church. I love that you learned your alphabet by 16 months, but it took you until you were 18 months to learn animal sounds and colors because you were too obsessed with letters to even care about anything else. I love that your favorite song is “Grace Is Enough” and you sing it into the turkey baster while I do the dishes. I love your independence. Once you know that you can do something by yourself you are insulted when someone tries to assist you. I can’t even say your nighttime prayers with you anymore. I love how when you’re sick or tired all you want is your mom. I love that if I whip out the Goldfish crackers you’ll sit still and cuddle with me, but other than that you are constantly on the move working on your next discovery. I love how sociable you’ve become. You love to “fist bump” or wave at everyone. And while I run errands you say hello to everyone that walks by our shopping cart. I love how your smile melts my heart. 
I think that you are one amazing kid. Today is a bittersweet day for me. I have realized that today you are no longer a baby. You’ve hit all those milestones that are on the baby checklist, with style might I add. I can no longer count your age in months. You are strictly 2, not 24 months. However, while I might be finished teaching you all of those “baby steps”, I now get a front row seat at watching you become the young lady God has called you to be. I love you more than you’ll ever know and I’m completely honored that God chose me to be your mother. Happy Birthday sweet girl.
