Maggie is two today. In the midst of all the holiday confusion, and our entire family falling ill over the past few weeks, I didn’t really focus on the birthday. We planned a party for Saturday, but everyone was too sick. Last night, as it was getting later and later, and Maggie was still running around, giggling and being silly, I was really struck with the memory of two years ago, how I was slowly laboring, so excited to finally get her here.

Everyone told me that adjusting to two would be a challenge. I even expected there to be an adjustment phase, time we would need to learn to juggle everyone and to get used to having this new little person in the house. With both my children, that hasn’t been the case. When Maggie showed up, it was as if life had finally gotten to where it was supposed to be in the first place. It was as if the life we had lived without her was the big adjusting space, and now, we were finally as we should be. We needed our Maggie. She brings out the best in all of us. We had no idea Jonas would be such a wonderful, loving big brother. Chris and Maggie have a special relationship as well. Parenting a girl is different than parenting a boy, and Maggie has her daddy wrapped around her little finger, which is as it should be. In many ways, Maggie softened me. She has brought me more peace and contentment over the past two years than any other force. She is a delight.

Maggie was a beautiful, sweet baby. She was an amazing sleeper and champion nurser, and usually had a charming disposition. She morphed into a clever, silly, lovable one year old, and it was beautiful. Now she is two. She is a typical two year old, she has embraced the tantrum throwing, and learned what a time out it. She is climbing up onto everything, and never hesitates to assert her own independence. She is very two. We love her.

Today I will make a cake. We will go to Build-A-Bear and let her pick out a stuffed animal to love on. I will take lots of pictures. We will read the princess books Jonas got her for her birthday. Mostly, we will just enjoy our Maggie, and remember how good we’ve got it, and how lucky we are to have her.