So easy to love.

This morning, as you clicked your glass against my own with a sweet and carefree "Cheers," I smiled to myself as I thought, "just one of the many things I love about you." I find myself thinking quite frequently how easy you are to love. And so, in honor of this day of love, I celebrate YOU and the love you so freely bring to our lives...


I love... when you nuzzle your face into the crook of my neck and pat my back with your hand when you're tired, or just feeling especially snugly.

I love... the way you playfully refer to me as Mother Bear, and you as my Little Bear.

I love... that, while your grammar is exceptional, adorably imperfect syntax errs still slip through the cracks. This morning, after you finished your cup of yogurt, I was midway through my own, and you asked for a bite. "Mmmm, that's deeeelicious! May I have a bite again?"(rather than "another bite"). I thought it was incredibly cute, very much like you. You also have a pretty firm grasp of "I," "you," "my," "your," and almost always add an "s" for plurals and possessives, but when questioning if something is your very own, you ask curiously, "Is this mines?" Love, love, love our little exchanges!

I love... your sky-is-the-limits imagination, where anything can happen... be it pirate attacks and calls to to the coastguard, fleets for refuge when running from Gizmo "the abominable sea monster," fire rescues at the dining table... or my personal favorite, our dinosaur enacting where you almost always are my sweet baby T-Rex. Just this morning you curled into my arms and asked if you could nursie with Mommy T-Rex. I love that I'm always included in your thoughtful story lines.

I love... the sound of your laughter... it is the very definition of a belly laugh!

I love... impromptu "I love yous," which almost always come hand in hand with hugs and kisses.

I love... how expressive you are. I'm sure somewhere in your future, you will dabble a bit in acting, because you really are quite a little performer.

I love... that you frequently use phrases like "Oh, dear" and "Oh my goodnush," also that you yoddle like a pro. ;-)

I love... that you're just a little bit melodramatic.

I love... that with every story you tell, you begin with "Once upon a time..." I also love that they almost always include taking a trip to the pond and jumping lily pads with Little Bear and your friends (your favorite inclusions: Andy, Chrissy, Caelan, Avery, Erin, Landis, Gracie, Anna, and Levi), and usually end with you eating pie, freshly made by Mother Bear (AKA Mommy).

I love... the dimples on your cheeks I could get lost in.



(This list will be ever-growing over the course of the next week... for now, dinner calls!)