Happy Birthday, Yaks!

Dear Yaks,

You turned two today. As I type this, you and your sister are playing catch with a roll of (wrapped) toilet paper and giggling like a bunch of hyenas. You two are the best of friends and the worst of enemies. Boo sometimes gets put in time out for hitting you, but for some reason you ALWAYS want to go join her in her time out area. I find this so curious, since she's just inflicted bodily harm, and yet you still want to hang out with her! All for one and one for all, eh?

I'm still hanging out with you every Sunday in nursery. We have a fun time in there, although I'm looking forward to attending my adult classes someday. Do you think we could make that a goal this year? Survive for two hours without mom? You are quite the lap boy. You love to sit on laps and will manage to worm your way onto my lap during story time, all through sacrament meeting, and even during dinner. I should probably just enjoy it. I know there will probably come a day when you don't want to hang out with me at all, much less sit on my lap.

You love your Dadas and he calls you "my buddy". You love to follow him around and help him "fissing it"(fixing it). You run to hug his legs when he comes home yelling a jubilant "DADA!" when he comes in the door. You are so proud to show him your latest skill, and he's quick to praise you and teach you something equally "death defying".

You've gotten much more courageous this year. You started out terrified of dogs, and now you want to pet every single one you see. You cried through the entire half hour of your first swimming lesson, and now we have to watch you to make sure you don't dive head-first into the three-foot-deep lazy river. You have learned to climb out of your crib, and are now in a big boy toddler bed. For the most part this has been a nice change, but I'd love it if you slept a little past 6:00AM. "I waked up!"

You love any stick-like object, which immediately becomes one of three things: a horn, a sword or a gun. I don't know where you learned this, since we only watch Sesame Street and Disney Princess movies. Most stick-like objects have found permanent homes on top of the fridge. You are all boy, that's for sure! You like to crash your sister's towers of blocks and create culinary masterpieces with lots of spices and wash your hands. You love to run and jump and shoot baskets, and make messes. Just last week Boo helped you open the bathroom cabinet and Boo came and tattled on you 10 minutes too late. You had smeared shampoo all over your hair and all over our bedroom carpet. It smells like blueberries in our room now. When I scolded you for doing that you said, "I wash-a my hair by my sayolf!"

Your favorite color is blue. Your favorite foods lately have been oranges, hot dogs and ketchup. Oh, you love ketchup! Just last week I realized that both you and Boo would eat lettuce if you had a puddle of "ketchup" (Catalina salad dressing) to dip it in. Consider it done. You love your binkie, blue blanket and "bear".

My, you are a talker! You can say more words than I can even count. Animals, shapes, colors, letters, body parts, Sesame Street friends, feelings, etc. For the most part we can understand everything you say, which is good and bad. We have some great conversations, but when you are angry, we all know what's wrong.

Mom: Yaks, what are you doing?
Yaks: I doing sumping.
Mom: Oh, I'm sorry, you can't have _____.
Yaks: I wan it!
Mom: I'm sorry, mommy said no.
Yaks: I be angee at mommy! (clenching his fists with every syllable)
Mom: (suppressing a smile) I'm sorry you're angry at mommy, the answer is still no.

You are sweet and thoughtful and always are concerned for others' feelings. You worry when others are crying, "Is Boo sad?" and will readily give snugs to those who need one. Earlier this year you were drinking a lot in the evening and night, and would often need a midnight diaper change. I would come in your room and change you with bleary-eyes, thinking you were fast asleep. One night you opened your eyes, smiled and said, "Tang-coo, mamas" and went right back to sleep.

You are such a cute little bubs, and we're so grateful to have you in our family. You add a nice balance of rough-and-tumble and sensitivity. We love you, little chunk. Happy Birthday!