Dear Noah,

It is amazing but true — in a month, you’re going to be 2 years old.

We’ve been trying to measure you lately, but it’s tricky — you wiggle. And you like playing with the tape measure. As nearly as we can tell, you’re maybe half an inch taller than the kitchen counters, which are 36″. My best guess on your weight is around 33 lbs, but we haven’t actually tried to weigh you in awhile.

In the last month, your language skills have gone to a whole new level. You say things like “Quesadilla,” and “share peanut butter toast with Mommy,” with apparent ease. And if we try to parrot something back to you, while you were trying to have a real conversation about it, you irritably say, “No, Mommy!”

You know all of the characters in your favorite books and television programs, and you create small dramas among your trains. “Look out, Gordon!” you call, before sending him plummeting from the footstool. “Baby push Henry!”

Sometimes, you line up all the trains in your crib, one per slat, and explain that they are all pushing. Other times, you like to make “what a long train!” on your train table, then lovingly describe each train car’s passage over the bridge, up the hill, and down the hill.

Much to your mommies’ intellectual pain, you’ve become very interested in the pbs tv characters Noddy and Pingu. Noddy is so insipid, it makes us crazy. But at least they teach a new word in Spanish or Mandarin in every episode. Pingu communicates through honking and gibberish.

You are still tall and lean — so much so that 2T pants still slide down your butt unless we’ve cinched them in, but 18M pants don’t even cover your ankles. When your pants slide down your butt, you don’t notice until your feet are covered. At that point, you adorably announce, “Toes!” and ask, “Where toes go?”

You’re very sweet and affectionate with your mommies, sometimes asking for “more kiss?” or “more hug?” — which we nearly always provide. You’re less demonstrative with other people, but you’re generally willing to be hugged or kissed by other toddlers, and occasionally, you even return the affection.

We’re still not thrilled with your day care situation, but hopefully it won’t be too much longer before we can move you to the center at our church. They didn’t have any openings at Christmas, but they look forward to having you.

Finally, this is the month when we first found out that — assuming all goes well — you’ll be a big brother later this year. You don’t know it yet, although we’ve started talking more about babies with you. Soon, we’ll begin planning how best to help you get ready to be a big brother.

We think you’re going to be a wonderful brother. Never doubt for a moment that we love you, and will always love you.

love,

Your Mommies