Sweet Annslee James

Dear, Sweet Annslee James:

You turned 2 a little after midnight this morning.  You know...I had to tell the Doctor that we had to hold off a little bit around 10 pm on October 7th, because you absolutely and positively had to be born after midnight, on October 8th.  First of all...it had to be an even number.  We are all even numbers.  Second of all...8 is my favorite number.  And last but not least...your father had said all along that you would be born on October 8th.  You were not due until the 31st...but we all knew better.  You were spunky.  Even then.  So...I held on, you held on, and Dr. LeBlanc went to deliver another baby in the meantime.  And just after midnight...it was time.  And there you were.  You were tiny and pink and perfect.

You made us all so happy.

****

Not long ago...you discovered Elmo and it was love at first sight.  So, it wasn't hard to come up with the theme for your 2nd Birthday.

As luck would have it...I found an Elmo cake pan.  This was you when we surprised you with your cake.  You were pretty thrilled.

Somehow...and I don't know how...you knew just how to blow out the candles.

So you did.

We all went wild with hoops and hollers because you blew out your own candles without having to be shown how to do it which clearly means that you are a genius and will most likely be famous.  You just sorta looked at us like we were crazy and I think you wondered what all the fuss was about.  "It's just candles, you lunatics."  That's likely what you were thinking.  I can't be sure, though.

I cut you a piece of the cake.  As I did that...your oldest brother, Colton (who you call da-doe) thought he would be clever and say, "Annslee...can you say Elmo Die?"

Not funny.

Then you said, "Elmo...eye" while you pointed at your eye so that we would all be sure to know that you were, in fact, eating Elmo's eye.  Again.  Genius.

One of your favorite activities is to go through everyones names.  You generally start with "Nanna" (Granna).  Then you say "Ga-Ga" (which is Grandaddy).  Then "Mama"..."Dada"..."Da-doe" (Colton)..."Ace" (Chase)..."Yay Yay" (Aiden)..."Gout" (Trout)..."eye-yie" (Uncle Kevin)...and then you point to yourself and say, "Meeeeeeeeeee."

We do this countless times a day.  You say the name and then I repeat you...saying the name the way I normally do so that you know that I understand you.  This brings about enormous satisfaction.

Other words you like to say are "peas" (please), "mo mo" (more), "no", "Melmo" (Elmo), "baaaaby" and my favorite..."ti-cky" (sticky)...which is said with your nose wrinkled up and perfectly precious and obviously taught to you by your grandaddy who despises anything the least bit sticky.  It all started last weekend when you showed him your roasted marshmallow covered fingers.  "Ti-cky."

You seriously can't get enough of pushing a doll stroller.  You finally got your very own tonight from Honey.

You got your very own coloring book and fat crayons too.  I just love fat crayons.

This was my favorite part of the night.  The candles had been blown out...the cake eaten...the presents opened and played with...and the wrapping paper picked up.

This is when you flew.

And cackled.

And I'm convinced that you felt nothing but joy and happiness...

and contentment...

and love.

****

Then I put you in your softest pajamas, gave you your pappy, and carried you upstairs to your room.  I sat in the rocking chair next to your bed and read you a story.  Then I sang you happy birthday, soft and slow like a lullaby.

Rock a bye sweet Annslee James.