Two Years 9 months

Here we are celebrating your third christmas. You sure did make our holiday merry and bright. I'm not sure how we would have survived the holidays this year without you. You were so excited about the Christmas tree. You said "Mama? You excited and happy? We building a twee!" You also said "Last year, when I was just a lil baby, I see Santa and I cry ALL day long. Now I'm a big boy!" And you didn't cry! You did stop dead in your tracks when you spotted him, but he waved and you waved back and marched right towards him! Dada laughed in that picture because Santa said in a deep voice "Well, hello Mr. Alex".
Other funny sayings and stories I've jotted down this month:
You are figuring out things that rhyme all on your own. "Gasoline. Kathleen. Olive (a girl at school) and Olives (your favorite snack).
When you and I play or do crafts you say "This is great fun. I'm having a play date with you mommy!" When you ride in the ergo on the dingo you tell daddy "I'm so happy to be with you dada!"
You said "I'm a big boy, Moki's a little guy".
You and I had an amazing conversation about Michael that I wished I could have recorded. You were sitting at your little lunch table and you said "Michael's watching me eat my snack mama, he's not in the hospital no more. He not in his cozy nest. He's in the wind and the air. He's everywhere watching me. He loves me. I not dead. I still have my breath. See? (blows air on my face) I love my Michael. I see him in my dream. He comes into my room. He's always with me". I gave you a big hug and smile and held back all my tears.
You have loved riding in the ergo on dada's back while he excavates and mows the lawn. You are at such a fun age where you want to help and join in on the yard work.
We have an inside joke 'I ate the whoooooole hamburger!" It makes you laugh and laugh.
You say things like 'This is gunna be perfect!"
I love when you tell me some memories of Michael. You told me this month 'Me and Michael went on an adventure walk by the post office". "Michael showed me the handle bar in the car"
You are addicted to crafts. Every day you want to "make a cwaft!"
You sat through a whole 2 hour choral concert I performed violin in. You said "Mama! We clap for you!" You and Poppy are rock stars?"
You like to listen to adult conversations and say "Mama? whaddayou sayin?"
You learned three new holiday songs "Jingle Bells, Rudolph, and Frosty". You had no recollection of the frosty doll we bring out each year. Last year you carried him everywhere. This year you were a little scared of him, so I showed you pictures from last year. It was funny to see you looking at your old self so puzzled like "Why don't I remember this??"
I hope naps aren't over. Sometimes we will go a few days without a nap, and other days you nap for 1.5-2 hours! You usually end up in our bed at some point in the night. Sometimes we have rough nights where you are up and down all night. It's hard not to cave in when you say "Mama? Come snuggie with me!"