My dear Tori, you are now two years old. Yes, I know, I'm a few days late posting these wishes for you, but, my little snugglebug, you keep me awfully busy.
Where do I begin, my little one? When you were born, you were the quiet baby--a teensy little cry, a little "hi, if you don't mind, could you give me a little milk". Your daddy and I laughed at how you were so quiet. That really didn't last too long.
You quickly turned into our little bright light. A little ball of energy, full of smiles and giggles. You laughed louder and harder than any baby we'd ever seen before.
You are our troublemaker. Quick to laugh, and quick to anger, you do everything with intensity and passion. You've mastered the adorable face that makes it hard not to giggle when we catch you doing something naughty. And you're awfully good at making mischief. I remember one evening, I was home alone with you and Dani, and you couldn't have been more than 10 months old, really just starting to walk. I had to change Dani's diaper, and when I finished, I turned around and you were gone. We looked all around the downstairs and you were nowhere to be found. And then we heard banging coming from upstairs. In the minute that I had my back turned, you had climbed all the stairs, and were in the bathroom, tossing your bath toys into the tub, as happy as could be. We've always got to keep a close eye on you...because you're always finding some kind of trouble.
You even find trouble when you're sleeping. You go to sleep each night in a sleeper, on backwards, with the feet cut off, because that is the only way to keep you from stripping down naked (and waking up cold and in wet sheets) when we put you to bed.
You are our giving child. You follow me to the kitchen and ask for a snack, usually a "nino" (tomato). No matter what you request, once I provide it, you ask for "one for DiDi" because you want to share with your big sister. From the moment we brought Tommy home from the hospital, you've covered him with kisses and you are always trying to make him smile.
Tori, my little love, you make us smile.
You leap before you look, because that's what two year olds do. But you keep leaping, because you aren't afraid of falling, even if you fell the first time, or the second, or the tenth. And you smile. Always.
It's hard to keep you still for very long, because for you, there's always something to explore. You've inherited my father's mechanical skills--you're always figuring out how to open something or take something apart. We bought special door knob covers once you could walk just to be sure you couldn't let yourself outside--within minutes you'd managed to remove them from all the doors.
And, of course, you're adorable. The kind of adorable that makes strangers stop us and tell you so. And while it seems like you're so busy running and laughing that you can't possibly be learning anything, you prove you are paying attention to everything. You can read all your letters and numbers, and recite the alphabet. You seem to have inherited my love of singing and music, as you can sing and hum in near perfect pitch and tune.
They say the middle child never really gets enough attention. That's not true in your case, Tori. You command attention. You are our dancing, singing, bouncing, streaking little monkey and we wouldn't change a thing.
You are our little bright light, Miss Tor Tor, and we simply adore you. Happy 2nd Birthday.
