TWO.

you are two.  

you are beautiful.

you are fun.

you are a stinker.

you are strong.

you are sweet.

you are trying.

you are fast.

you are incredible.

you are love.

you are a good idea.

happy birthday... my birthday boy.

all my heart.  forever.  mama.  

my citizens of the quarter....

i couldn't be more proud.  

i realized that one of the reasons why i love the holidays so much (yes... i know... it's over) is because it meant that my family would all be together.  Being the baby of the family... my siblings are 5,7,9 and 14 years older than me.... the holidays meant they were coming home.  as we have all grown up and moved away it is very very rare that i get to spend the holidays with all of them.  this year one of my brothers came home.  billy has always been billy.  he is funny, talented, kind and honest.  i am so proud of the life he has made for himself.  he is an actor. and became a pilot after our dad died. 

i love you.  

love hate relationship.

i used to say jude and claire had a love/hate relationship. (sorry mama... she hates the word hate)  they are 3 months 2 days and a head and a half apart.  i was lucky enough to be able to help my sister out with her babies when she went back to work.. so with jude and claire it was almost like i had twins.  at least until 5:00 p.m.  whatever claire had... jude wanted.  whatever jude had... claire wanted.  until they were about 2.  then something just clicked.

i am so glad they have each other.  it is so fun for me to watch them talk and play.  i hope they are always close and there for each other.

we love you claire bear.

xo.
kiki

sisters.

you know.... i always wanted to be like you when i was little.  in fact... i spent all my childhood looking up to you.  many times when we were growing up i would wish that we were closer in age.
now..  now i'm happy you are older.  :)  kidding.  now... i look forward to what the future has for us.  even though we are so different... we have something unsaid.

i think you are an incredible woman.  i am glad you are my sister.

amazes me

sometimes you amaze me... my Jude.  you are the most determined little boy i know.  like this week ...you were just determined to finish a book.  it was quite a big undertaking.  and you did it.  you just set your mind to it and did it.  even reading for several hours yesterday.  i hope you always remember that you can do all things through christ.  you can do anything ... my Jude.

NO dudley....

 dudley paul... mommy said no!  um... i've been saying that ALOT lately.  you are reminding me quickly what a two year old can act like! i can't believe you will be two this month!  Seems like yesterday you were just a dream to me.
 you also remind me what it is like to love with everything i am.  you remind me to depend on God for every moment in my day.  you remind me that to say i'm sorry is so simple.  you remind me to be thankful for the messes and the handprints on my windows.  you remind me that we have so much to be grateful for in this life.

here's to a year with a two year old. again.  let's make it great.