Stop & Smell the Roses: Deuces Wild

Two years ago today you came into this world and into my heart and you've been leaving your mark ever since. Sometimes that mark looks like marker and pencil scribbles all over the computer. Often times its the trails of random toys you leave scattered throughout the house! Its the joy you give me when I get to see the world through your eyes, sometimes its your laugh I can hear in my head while Im falling asleep. Its the way you shamelessly flirt with all girls. Sometimes its the way your brother calls you HIS baby brother with so much pride in his voice. It's the way your dad looks at you like he cant believe how lucky we are that you are ours.
And sometimes its the way my heart skips a beat when I tuck you in at night and you tell me
"I love you too" in your super sweet baby voice...yeah, that one gets me every time.

A true trail blazer if I ever saw one

You have a legitimate love AFFAIR with horses, and its actually kind of perfect because a horse is totally your spirit animal. But not just your average horse, NO..you my love are like a wild horse and its my favorite thing about you! You are wild and free and so, so spirited. Your energy is manic and loud, and crazy, but most of all, its beautiful. You are unstoppable and this will serve you well in this world. You are unbreakable and fearless. You don't know yet what impossible means, the world is yours. I am hoping you come to realize that when it comes to the playground some things are impossible for you at this age...honestly, taking you to the park is terrifying. You want to do what all the older kids do which typically entails jumping from slides and whatever the tallest point on the playground equipment is. You aren't content to play on the "age appropriate" side. But thats you with everything, you take everything you do to the next level. You are like your dad that way. Its hard for this mama heart sometimes but I try not to hold you back if I can help myself. I find myself holding my breath a lot and just sort of cringing while I watch you taste freedom and test your limits.

I'm hoping this obsession with horses doesn't lead to bronco riding one day! Help me God if it does.

I know one thing for sure, the things that you and your brother are passionate about I want to be passionate about too. I see an interesting future for myself because helping you chase your dreams and seeing you try and sometimes fail, and hopefully mostly succeed is my dream now.
The life I imagined for myself before kids is so different and exciting. The crazy thing is if I got everything I ever THOUGHT I wanted none of it could even come close to bringing me the happiness and joy being a mother has brought me. Im thankful for this all the time. There is a song that is so special to me and one of the lyrics is; have you come to the end of yourself.. You and your brother have done that to me and its the best thing thats ever happened.
In my wildest dreams I couldn't fathom anything as good as you and Landon.
Don't get me wrong..I still have dreams and ambitions of my own and I will see them through because I think thats important for you to see and know, but my personal desires pale in comparison to what I want for you. I want to be interested in what interests you because I have this need to know you and your brother and how you guys think, and what makes you laugh, what makes you sad, mad...all of it. Thank you for giving my life a purpose that surpasses anything I could have dreamed up.

Here is just a glimpse into who you are at the ripe old age of 2...

You go to sleep talking about watching horsies, playing horsies, reading horsies and when you wake up its the first thing you talk about..."want to watch horsies" Spirit is currently your favorite, although sometimes you dabble in Heartland and Reign..The best part, Heartland and Reign are like actual dramas, almost like soap operas! Like I said, you aren't happy with "age appropriate" shows like Octonauts and Sesame Street, its always the next level with you!

You are obsessed with girls...again, not girls your age..you seem to especially love teenagers. The other day at the park you had your heart set on a sweet 10 year old girl with a pretty pink bow you couldn't stop talking about! You followed her around and tried to do everything she did. I think you were actually showing off..gotta love your tenacity! Your dad told me he took you to see the horses at Carousel Farms and when two teenaged girls walked by you gasped and said "dad look, girls"...
Mamas of girls all I can say is beware..my boy has dimples, good looks, and charm for days.
I imagine one day all of Landon's little girlfriends are just going to love his little brother...Both my boys are fiercely competitive so it should be interesting to say the least!

You are obsessed with Rocky the rocking horse that daddy used to ride when he was little. Do you calmly ride it while safely holding onto the reigns...NO!! You do "tricks" your own word.. You wear your black cowboy hat and most often you are barefoot. You like to do "jumps" and rock back and forth so hard I am just waiting for your to fly off. To date I have to say Im impressed..as far as I know you haven't been bucked off yet...unless your dad "forgot" to tell me about such an experience :)

You have an interesting knack for hoarding things you love. Sometimes the word stealing comes to mind..I have found a lego fence piece in your pants before..we were invited to a friends house and from what I gather the white lego fence piece you set your eyes on looked like a "horse fence" so you stuck it inside pants leg and when we got home and I changed you into jammies I found it...imagine my surprise! I have found pacifiers in your pant legs as well. Pacifiers are about the only thing that can compare with horses. One day it was nap time and that is typically when you get your "binky". The only problem...I couldn't find one anywhere...not to fear, you had them all stashed inside a doll house. You nonchalantly opened the front door to the doll house and reached in and grabbed like three of them. Sometimes you want the blue one, sometimes the green one in your mouth but then you prefer to sleep with the others next you you in the crib as well as one in each hand! When we go to the library you promptly gather up ALL of the toy horses AND the horse puzzle pieces. You have this one little container that you like to put them all in. It has a lid and snaps shut so you can safely transport the horses around without any other children stealing the COMMUNITY toys.

You love to do anything that gets a reaction...there for awhile you would suck on your big toe just to see me grossed out! You love to fart in the bathtub because your brother laughs uncontrollably! You love to make a big deal out of the smallest boo-boo so I have to kiss it...~~even~~ especially if its your butt. By the way, yours is the only butt I will kiss! You love it when I sing "Jesus Loves Me", "Twinkle Twinkle", and my very own original "Farty McGarts"....what can I say, its a classic!

As funny and tough as you are you are incredibly perceptive and sweet. You pick up on emotion and I can already see your compassionate heart. It comes naturally to you and that is such a gift. You give the best bear hugs and kisses. Your little spirit for competition has already started shining though in the love department. You love to play the "I love you more game" with me. For the record; I'll play with you always and forever. One day you me and Landon can play the Infinities game...that should be interesting.

Oh Logan, I could go on for days and you're only 2. You and your brother will be the greatest story I ever get to tell. You are the best parts of my life. I cant wait to see what this year brings, what lessons you will teach me, and what beautiful things you will show me.

Two roads diverged in a wood,
and I...I took the one less traveled by,
and that has made all the difference.
-Robert Frost-

NO, better yet...

Do not go where the path may lead,
go instead where there is no path and leave a trail
-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

Logan, this is what you were born to do...be a trail blazer..its who you are!