Banks Rion... In one month from tomorrow, you will be two years old. In some ways the two years have flown by way too quickly, while in other ways it feels like I have never known life without you. To say that you are the light of our lives is an understatement. To try to put into words how important you are to us and how much we love you seems like an impossible task, but I'm going to try.
I haven't done the best job in the past year of keeping up with the blog. So I'm going to tell you a little about yourself... You are very particular about the things you like and the things you don't like. Food is the perfect example of this. When you first starting eating solids around a year old, you tried everything I put in front of you and actually liked a variety of things such as spaghetti, peanut butter and grilled cheese sandwiches, rolls, pizza, etc. At about 15 months, however, you decided that most things make you gag and you have stuck to the same 10-15 foods since then. You are definitely consistent! Those foods include a certain brand (Earth's Best organic) of meatballs and chicken nuggets, Amy's organic snack bites (nacho and bean, cheese pizza, and spinach pizza), grilled chicken from a few restaurants (especially chick-fil-a), french fries, yogurt, chips (and other crunchy snacks like goldfish, cheerios, and cheese crackers), peas, green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, avacado, and most fruits.You eat a cereal bar every day for breakfast, and I dare someone to try to give you something different. You only drink milk and water (mostly because we haven't allowed juice). It is impossible to get you to try new things, as you adamantly push it to the side and say, "NO," if it is not something you immediately recognize.
As far as playing goes, you love the vacuum and broom/swiffer, rake, and wiping things down with a wipe or cloth of any kind. You are also into throwing balls and building things with your blocks. You really like to read Sandra Norton books. You love to dance to music, and immediately yell, "dance, dance!," and start bopping around when you hear any music. Your favorite song is, "Wheels on the Bus," and you know every motion and most of the words. When you hear any new sound, you put your hand up to your ear and look at us for us to tell you what it is (that is one of the cutest things you do). Your favorite place to be is OUTSIDE. You beg to go outside every day when we get home and if we can't go because it is raining or too hot/cold, you get really upset about it. This is a trait you get very honest from your daddy and pops. You have recently gotten into jumping off of things, luckily only when Daddy or I are there to catch you so far. You climb up on the couch or ottoman and yell, "JUMP," and we better be ready to catch you because you are coming! You love to run and tackle us on the floor because you know it's going to end up being a tickle match, which you also love. You love watching, "peebee" (TV). Doc Mcstuffins is your favorite show, but you also frequently ask for, "Putbaw" (football). When football is on, you enjoy yelling, "Go Tigers, Touchdown, and Yay!" You also still wave to the people on the Today show when it's on in the mornings. When we go out to eat, you tell everybody sitting around us, "Hey," in the sweetest voice, while waving at them until you get their attention. You love having your feet played with (piggies) or rubbed. You use the word, "TUCK," for "stuck" very frequently, like when we put you in the car seat or high chair and you can't get out, or when you can't get a toy out of the drawer because it's too heavy or "stuck" beneath another toy. You have just started sleeping with a blanket about a month ago, and now you can't sleep without one (that might come from me). At night, you have to have BOTH me and Daddy to walk up the stairs with you, give you your bath, and get you dressed for bed. Then you love your time with Daddy while he plays a song for you, says prayers, and puts you down.
You love your friends at daycare. You call them all by double names (Mamac for Mattox, Jack Jack for Jax, Char Char for Charleigh, Day Day for Davis). Mamac is your favorite, and you talk about him all the time. You also love your teachers, Joan and Bernice, although you will never love them as much as you love your Yiayia and Nannie... You talk about Yiayia and Nannie a lot. Your best friend, however, is Demi, who you call, "Memi." You talk about her every day on the way home from daycare, and you can't get enough of her when you're at home. It's a priceless relationship.
You have started testing your limits, like all toddlers do, both at daycare and at home. When you get told no, or you are really upset about something you aren't allowed to do or have, you have a tendency to bite yourself on the hand. Daddy and I have been using time out to try to put a stop to this, and you are catching on. Catching on so well, as a matter of fact, that you have started putting yourself into time out after you do it. It's all we can do not to laugh when you do this.
From about 12 months to 18 months, you were all about, "Dada." Then, all of a sudden, you have turned into a total "Momma's boy" for the past few months. I love it! I know when you get a little older, Daddy is going to be your hero and I'm cool with that, I'm just soaking up the moments that I am the popular one. Every day, at least once, you wrap your arms around my neck, look me in the eyes, and say, "Oh Momma" in the most precious little voice. I can tell you one thing... I melt into total mush when you do that.
Banks, you are so precious and you make me smile like nothing else does. You have quite a sense of humor, and you never hesitate to let out a gut laugh. Your little spirit truly is so sweet and gentle, while you are also one of the toughest little people I know. You have had to be tough. In your two years, you have been put to sleep 7 times. It has been quite the roller coaster ride, with your kidneys, head tilt, tubes, helmet, and PT, just to name a few. Through it all, you always bounce back and stay so sweet and tolerant. We are having to follow up on your kidneys again in January because at your appointment in October, your numbers went back up a little. This is something that is always in our prayers because we can't stand the thought of you having to endure another surgery. We are also having to follow up more on your head tilt, because after a year and a half of therapy (starting when you were two months old), you still want to tilt your head to the right. You had an MRI of your brain and cervical spine in October, and praise the Lord for normal results. You also had your vision tested, which also was normal. We have been continuing some of your PT exercises at home, and have been putting your tot collar on you to wear around the house to try to continue improving it. Dr.Mattox has now referred you to a pediatric neurologist and we will follow up on this as much as we need to, while continuing to hope and pray you just grow out of it.
My hopes and dreams for you in the future are this... I pray that you live a life of pure joy and happiness by knowing God's perfect love. This does not mean that you will live a life of being naive and sheltered, but that you are able to overcome any worries, fears, or anxieties you may have by knowing and remembering the perfect, unconditional love that God (and me and your daddy) will always have for you...
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18
When that underlying, perfect love, is the foundation on which you live your life, you can overcome anything that is thrown in your direction. Always remember that you are SMARTER than you think, BRAVER than you believe, STRONGER than you feel, and LOVED more than you know.
I love you more than anything in this world, baby, and can't wait to continue watching you grow.
Mommy
