Dear Kaplan,

You, my handsome little hunk, are TWO years old!

I cannot believe how quickly time has gone by since you joined our little family.  They say time flies when you're having fun--and you sir, have definitely increased our levels of fun!

You are still a pretty laid back kid, and you really only get super cranky when you're hungry.  The struggle is real for you and those hungry grumps, dude.

My Kaplan, you are still our snuggle bug of a kid, and your daddy and I absolutely love it.  You love to be held and snuggled and hugged.  You are also quite attached to your blanket and love to cuddle up just about anywhere if you have it.

You're still a major mama's boy (which makes me a little nervous with your little brother coming next month...).  However, you are also daddy's little buddy and Arabella is your best friend.  You love to fish and ride in the Bronco and play ball and wrestle around with daddy.  And you copy just about anything your big sister does or says (which isn't always a good thing!).  Watching you two play together and seeing your imaginations in action is just the coolest.  At random times, you'll run up to one of us and hug our legs and say "I luv chew"--just so sweet and melts all of us!

It has really amazed us how much you are talking!  I call you my little mockingbird because you repeat just about everything you hear.  For the past two months, you've been speaking in sentences and holding conversations.  You're also very well mannered (please, thank you, excuse me, I'm sorry...just precious).  You constantly surprise us with new words and phrases and just how well you communicate.  You also know more animals and sounds than I can count anymore, are working on your colors (some days you get them all right, some days everything is blue), and know what a triangle is!

One of your favorite things to do is sing--which seems to be a family trait!  You know Jesus Loves Me, You Are My Sunshine, Amazing Grace, and Father God (a few of our bed time songs); you also sing along to the radio, especially on Fix My Eyes, The River, Backseat Driver, Thy Will, and God is on the Move.  It makes me SO happy to hear you and Arabella sing--especially all those Jesus songs!

You've also been going down front with Mr. Craig (for children's church) by yourself on Sunday mornings.  You sit up there and pay attention and then come running back to mama and daddy when the bigger kids go to class (you usually run up and tell us, "I did good!" and give me a big hug...love it).  This year, you get to start going to Bible Hour with Bella and the other kids.  I know you'll love it!  You also have a great time with your friends in your Bible classes.

You really like Barney and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse--you'll sit and watch them (and sing and dance to them) as long as I'll let you.  Speaking of Mickey Mouse, you even got to go to DisneyLand this year!  It was our first real family vacation and we had SO much fun!  You loved the plane and the rides and seeing the characters (until they got too close).  I know you won't remember the trip, but you were definitely old enough to have a great time--and I promise mama will remember for you :)

If you could stay outside all day every day, you would.  You are "such a boy" in that you love to play in the dirt, make a mess, and run around like a crazy person.  The problem with all of that is that while you love to get dirty, you still hate taking a bath...  You're good to play in the tub, but when it's time to actually bathe, you scream the whole time, every single time.  Still haven't figured out what that's all about...

Your giggle is so contagious and a sound I don't ever want to forget!  You love to be silly and make funny faces; or for somebody to "get you" or tickle you; or if you sister starts laughing with you, you two can hardly stop and then we're all laughing for a long time!  It's just great.  

I'm so excited to see you become a big brother next month.  I have no doubt, you and Arabella will teach Landry all of your tricks in no time.  And I have no doubt that that little boy will be so loved and protected and cared for (and picked on and pushed around, of course--but only by you...)  

You're just such a cool kid, and we are so grateful to have you as ours.  You've added so much love and fun and weirdness and giggles and tenderness to our family.  We hope you never lose your laid back way of handling life and loving people. 

Your daddy and I will fight for you, protect you, teach you, and love you every single day of our lives.  You will always be our precious, perfect son; our second baby; our beautiful, blessed gift.

Happy birthday, sweet boy!  I love you more than you will ever know.

xoxo, mama