Henry Edward is 2!!!

017, originally uploaded by megan bauer.

My baby boy...my last baby....turned 2 years old on Thursday. Bittersweet. It's bittersweet because those first two years are hard. Every day the kids get older, daily tasks get easier. But, it's also sad. I love cuddling my little guy. And, I LOVE his excitement over the every day things we take for granted. TREE! AIRPLANE! BUS! DOG! FIRE ENGINE! Henry has been our easiest baby. Our best sleeper. The least likely to cry. The most likely to go with the flow. Our latest walker.
He doesn't get to go to playgroups. Or do gymboree or music classes. No - just hanging and playing for us. His 2 years have been very different then the other boys. It's a necessity with 3. Anytime it's just the 2 of us, we're at the store or doing laundry. There's no time for hanging out. We drive the boys back and forth. We hang out at the sports center for soccer practices 4 days a week. He's my sidesick.
At his 2 year check up, he was 35 inches tall (75th%) and 28 pounds (fully dressed w/ diaper - 50th%).
He's a tough cookie and NEVER cries when he falls or hurts himself. Of course, this could be because he's spent a good portion of his 2 years sick (he has another ear infection now - left over from one that never cleared 2 weeks ago - even though he has tubes).
He runs, jumps, spins in circles, and does somersaults.
He goes in the backyard w/ the big boys and I don't hear a peep from him.
He doesn't run or dart from me, and walks cautiously on the road.
He makes friends everywhere we go, and will go to anyone! He smiles all the time, laughs all the time, and talks to everyone.
He can count to three :), and identifies his colors correctly...some of the time.
He can say almost everything, and puts two to three words together, although his words aren't always clear. Drink is "gink", his fave stuffed animal's name is Moppett..he calls it "op op". Interestingly, he still doesn't say Owen OR Emmett..even though he says everyone else's name! He calls Owen and Emmett "boys". If he wants Owen, he says, "boys". Same for Emmett. Bizarre.
He loves to read, and drives matchbox cars around all the time.
He makes the best siren sound ever (why haven't I gotten this on video yet???).

I'm excited to get to know my little buddy as he grows. I'm not sure the person that they are at 2 is who they are at 6 and then 9 and then 12, etc. I feel like my boys have changed a lot.

Henry starts preschool in the fall. I sign him up for it in January. I can't believe it.

I love this kid. Be still my heart.