Happy Birthday Grady!

Grady is two years old today. Seems like it was just yesterday we were finding out that we were going to be a family of four, and now here we are, two parents and two little boys. I remember being nervous, not sure about how Evan was going to handle a sibling, and wondering how I was going to juggle two kids. It turns out I juggle them just fine, but it doesn't look too pretty while I'm doing it.

This morning Grady isn't very interested in breakfast--he got mad at his banana when it broke in half and now he doesn't want to eat it. This has been typical behavior lately, as everything has to be "just so" or Grady won't have it. He wants to pick out his own clothes and he tries to dress himself, but he still would rather have a diaper and just sits on the potty for show. He seems to want to do everything himself, and everything that Evan does, and he's not happy when he's unable to. But he's not unhappy too often, as it's easy to cheer him up and make him laugh.

Bedtime has become a struggle. If he naps he stays up too late, but if he doesn't nap he gets very cranky, so we're stuck in a horrible middle ground. He doesn't want to miss any fun, so sleeping has taken a back seat to just about anything else he could be doing. I seem to remember Evan being difficult about sleep at this age too, so I'm hoping to just ride it out. That's the beauty of the second kid--less stress because above all you know that nothing lasts forever.

That's especially true of his babyhood. Grady's face has become leaner lately, and he's grown taller, and the only bit of baby fat left is his little pot belly. He's running and dancing and climbing all the time now, and there is not much remaining of the baby he used to be. I'm glad though--as much as I loved the baby part, I'm excited for all the things we're able to do together now. Trips to the park or the beach are so much more fun when both boys can enjoy them, and I'm just getting a taste of all the great years to come with these two little guys.

So happy birthday Grady! I hope that two is a wonderful and amazing year for you. You make us laugh, and you make us crazy, and you complete our family in a way I only dreamed about before you came along.