Alice!!!  This year was SOOOOOO fast.  And huge.  Right after your 1st birthday, we packed up and moved from your birth town to what we hope will become your new hometown. I really wanted to minimize the impact of the move on you, so we packed up your room the day before we left with the intention of unpacking it pretty much immediately upon arrival.  That's not how it worked out though, and we pretty much didn't get to see most of your things again until nearly 6 months later in December!  I felt a little bad, but there was nothing to be done about it.  The good part was that you were super excited when we finally did get everything set up and you even recognized a bunch of the art that had been on your walls in Cheyenne!

It's been a big year of changes and transition for all of us.  We moved to Idaho!  We lived downstairs for 6 months, then we moved upstairs!  We stopped nursing in December (around 20 months).  Dada got laid off from STP and will be starting his own job this coming summer (wahoo!!!! and YIKES!!!!). 

Lots of people came to stay and visit.  I think you've found this a bit confusing, but you're always so happy to see everyone (and mama is devastated when they leave).  We spent the summer riding bikes around our new neighborhood, working on all of the huge house projects, and playing in the water at Quinn's Pond.  You even rode on the paddle board with mama!  You started taking swimming lessons with mama at the YMCA and baby French class at Mme. Veronica's house.  You LOVE to go swimming, and you LOVE French class. 

Your other biggest love right now is other kids!  You get SOOOOOO excited to see kids wherever we go, which is why it's really great that you'll be starting preschool in the fall.  It will be two more chances per week to hang out with kids ("There's some little tiny kids!!!!!).  You call lots of things "little tiny" regardless of their size. 

You are whip smart.  I mean, seriously.  You are probably smarter than mama and dada combined (and that's saying something because your dada is BRILLIANT).  It's likely only a matter of weeks before you are doing calculus just for fun.  I joke, but it is so astounding to watch you absorb literally everything you are taught.  Not a single day goes by that you don't manage to say something that completely amazes us.  You are extremely observant ("LOOK AT THAT!! MAMA NEW SHIRT!!!!), you are developing your own little sense of humor (pinecones = "tree poop"), you are trying out your own opinions ("NO LIKE THAT!"), and you are exercising your tiny will power to its fullest extent (and NOW mama finally understands what everyone was talking about when they said parenting is so hard).  

Now that you are turning into your own tiny person, mama is not allowed to just "nuggle" you whenever she wants ("OFF MAMA!!!).  This makes mama sad, BUT in return if I ask you for a hug, you come running, leap into my arms and hug me with your entire body.  I have to say, this is pretty great.  Doubtless that this will be one thing I'll carry with me forever long after you've adopted more independence and attitude. 

Every morning you come into the bathroom with mama and we brush our teeth together, do our hairs, and then look in the mirror so mama can ask you, "Who's so cute?!" 
And you respond, "ALICE SO CUTE!!!" 
"Who's so smart?"  "ALICE SO 'MART!!!"
"Who's so kind?"  "ALICE SO KIND!!!"
"Who's so smart and kind?"  "ALICE SO 'MART AND KIND!!!"

I can't wrap my brain around the fact that you've already traveled with us around the sun TWO WHOLE TIMES.  Surely, the Earth's orbit is speeding up on a daily basis.  I love you, Alice Safa Svilar Finley Newlin Kumquat Sweet Babu Sugar Bean AlicitaYou'reSoSweeta "mart" Girl. 

Love, Mama

P.S.  I made you this video.  <3