Dear Maddie (the two and a half version),

It gets old saying this all the time - but HOLY CRAP how much you have changed in just 6 months. You are a little person. With opinions on.... everything.

• Fashion. Which, for the record, I usually try to respect - but wearing your fancy white dress to daycare on one of the rainiest, muddiest days we've seen all Spring. Wasn't going to happen - ever. And I have a thing about white before the May long-weekend. (I blame that on my mom)
• Food. And this opinion changes almost weekly. Sometimes potatoes are acceptable. Most times they are not. Usually blackberries are the bees knees. Sometimes they are the devil. You do have a few constants though. My lemon chicken, brocolli, green beans, watermelon and Nutty Cones (but only when shared with Daddy).
• Books. Again, you like to switch up favourites, but with a fun little twist. You call them different things. Peter Pan is currently called the Orange Book. Which wasn't easy, when you were demanding the ORANGE BOOK ORANGE BOOK ORANGE BOOK one night at bedtime, and we had no idea what the hell we were looking for. I practically tried giving you the Home Depot flyer, because that's orange, and OMG please just stop shouting at me.
• Daycare drive. You like Daddy to drop you off at daycare. And you like when I pick you up. We haven't exactly determined why this is. And why the world meltsdown when this isn't possible. But ... yes. You have your reasons I'm sure.
• Driving. You don't like it when I take a different route home from daycare. And (usually) don't love stopping for the mail on the way home. I like to think you're just so excited to get home and spend time with me, that you don't want to delay it at all. But I think it's just a routine thing and you, my dear, do not love change. I wonder where you get that from?

But even with all those opinions, at the same time, you're also one of the happiest little girls I could ever imagine. You belly laugh at my lame silly jokes. You smile and make funny faces with Daddy at the dinner table. You maul Simon and chase Garfy for "snugglebuggles" while he runs away terrified. 

You'd rather be outside than in. At the park, or playing in the yard or just going for a walk. But on rainy days we craft and we bake. You bring me your apron and demand that we "make cookies for Daddy". Or you ask in the most convincing voice, "Mommy - you paint wit' me?".

I'm your daytime sidekick. Daddy is the preferred bedtime guy. He does bathtime. He reads story after story after story. He snuggles you into bed and reads one last book. You are a daddy's girl and you have him wrapped around your little finger.

I know you probably won't remember being so young, but I hope all the photos and videos we inundate you with help you remember these happy times.

Happy half-birthday bugaloo.

Love,
Mommy