It's hard to believe it's been two years since you were born, Ella! I remember the anticipation of having a second child... worrying about what it would do to Gracie, wondering how we would handle a second kid, and yet we've made it through 730 days, 24 months, two full years!
You have been the most exhausting child at times. I remember thinking that Gracie had a lot of attitude. And then I met you, and realized Gracie's personality and attitude is one of the most dependable, unchangeable things in our lives. You can be angry, sad, vicious, recalcitrant, whiny, and a steroid-infused version of a terrible-two. But, oh my... you can also be the sweetest, gentlest, most kind little girl I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. You laugh at everything... and not a little giggle, but an out-loud, makes-me-laugh-too, kind of laugh. You wipe my kisses off and tell me they're yucky, but run to your sister to put your arm around her and rub her back when she's crying.
With you, we have to say everything at least twice. Probably closer to five times before you decide to listen. At bedtime, instead of sitting down to enjoy a story, you race around the house, thinking it's great fun and make us chase you. Most times that ends with us yelling at you to get your butt to the couch and listen to a story. But on the days that we remember that you're just having fun, we growl and chase you and you laugh and scream until we drag you, hanging upside down, back to the couch.
You throw yourself to the floor and refuse to get up in a typical toddler tantrum. The threat of a time-out means nothing to you if you decide that your tantrum is more important. If you do end up in time-out, you stand your ground with your arms crossed and your bottom lip so far out a bird could build a nest on it. When made to apologize for your wrongdoing, you rarely uncross your arms, and yell "sorry" at us like that word itself is the most horrible thing you've ever had to say.
When we put you to bed, you talk and talk and talk and talk, and throw your toys on the floor, and then pick up your toys, then throw them again. You bang your feet against the wall. You yell at Gracie for falling asleep before you were done talking to her. You drive us crazy when, an hour after putting you to bed, you're still talking! We've started putting you to bed first, before Gracie, and I now often find you 15 minutes later, passed out, feet on the wall, toys on the floor, and head hanging over the bed. But every now and then, I find you tucked under your blankets, in the same position as when I first left the room, and I can't help but smile and think of how much energy you must have used up that day to fall asleep so fast.
You, my beautiful Ella, truly are the most exhausting child. A real trouble-maker. A little hellion. But for every hellish little moment you create, there are a million other sweet ones, and that beautiful smile reminds me that, as bad as you can be, you are truly amazing, and I wouldn't trade you for any other two-year-old out there! Because of all the Ellas in the world, you are my favourite!
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