Little S,

On the weekend, you learned to say your big brother’s nickname. As you happily shrieked “Soupie”, my heart both swelled and broke a little. You’re getting big too quickly.

In the not-quite-two-years-yet since you came into the world, you’ve kept me as much on my toes as I would have expected from a boy who decided to make a surprise appearance almost a whole month early. It sometimes feels like you’re more grown up every morning when you get out of bed and, try though I might, I can’t seem to capture you as you are right now.

You are my wild child. My tiny firecracker. My little twin flame. It’s the matching of our energy that sometimes makes me feel breathless, though it might also be the cardio I earn chasing you around.

Tomorrow, you are two. I don’t know if you fully grasp it yet but you did a great job of blowing out your 2 candle – not just once, but twice! – on Sunday. Watching your eyes light up as you smiled while we sang you name will be one of my favourite memories ever.

Last year was a big year. You started a new daycare. You learned to walk! Your tiny vocabulary has grown and grown. You became a big brother, got your first hockey stick, and even tested it out on the ice. There were a lot of big and hard days and a lot of fun days, too. Sometimes the days felt like they’d never end, but looking back, they went by too quickly.

I can’t wait to see who you grow into this year. I can’t wait to see what you do, what you learn, and all the fun we’ll have.

I love you, Sebby. Happy Birthday.

xo, mama