My Duke Benny is two today and it's a little bittersweet.

I remember in the weeks after he was born, being post-partum and batshit crazy with emotions I wanted to control, but totally couldn't. It made me cry and think crazy thoughts and wish to experience delivery again (I know!).  So anyway, when he was a few days old, I laid in my bed and I held him really tight and told myself "these are the best days of my life" and cried hard because it already felt so fleeting. I was an actual basket case.

I'm not sorry he's getting older, because he's truly cooler now than he was when he was brand new, and every day he gets even more fun to hang out with. I'm sorry that it goes so fast, because I know I was crazy, but also that I was right. These are the best days of my life.

So let's talk about Duke B, and just preserve this moment.

• He chatters all the time, but his favorite words are mom, dad, Jack-Jack, SpongeBob, hot, that, blue, and boom. Oh and keys. 

• Mostly sleeps at night. He still wakes up a time or two, but that is a huge improvement from where we were six months ago. 

• Stands like such a little man in front of the toilet. He makes it his job to squeeze out just a trace amount of pee-pee so he can have the privilege of flushing the toilet. I bought him a tiny stool. Doesn't use it. I bought him a tiny potty seat. Nope. 

• Regularly employs side-eye, particularly when I tell him "no." He flashes the side-eye, giggles and then proceeds to do as he pleases. I'm still trying to figure out what to do here. 

He is so spirited, you guys. He makes me banana crackers sometimes, but I can't get enough of his energy that melts into this snuggly, crazy affectionate little boy when it finally runs out. Yesterday, he came bombing into the kitchen at 100mph, crashed into my legs and sweetly put a kiss on my knee before taking off again.

 Happy birthday to my big boy.