Dear Brennan,

Happy 29-month birthday, dude! You are just such a little sweetie and I love you so much. You're still wearing mostly 2T clothes and still use a Pull-up at night. The big news we shared this past month is that you're going to be a big brother! I'm not sure how much you understand about it. You'll say "big bro" and if I ask you what kind of baby is in Momma's belly, you're convinced it's a girl baby. Momma thinks it's a boy. We are in the process of turning our guest room into your big boy room, so the baby can have the nursery. We have another big change coming up too; Dada will be leaving us for the first time since you've been born. He's about to leave to go to meet his new submarine and will be gone for about four months. I think you and I will survive just fine though. Here's what else what you've been up to lately.

We just got done having Auntie Amanda, Adah, and Michaela visit us. It was so much and you loved having the girls here. It proved we still have some work to do on the sharing front, but most of the time you are willing to say, "Your turn" and give up a toy to someone else.

You're new favorite word is "now". Certainly not as annoying as when you first started saying, "no", but I don't really like it. You will say things like, "Outside now" or "Chocolate milk now". I have started asking you, "What's a nice way to say that?" and  you'll change the "now" to "please". In fact, all I have to do now is just give you a look and you'll say, "please". You also love to say the word "submarine". It's pretty cute. You've seen several submarines on base and just the other day we saw one pulling out down the rive and pulled over to watch it. When we had friends over last week, Dada showed them the part of the movie "Stargate Continuum" where his former submarine surfaces through the ice at the North Pole. You've now become obsessed with watching that part of the movie. We seriously watch it multiple time each day.

You continue to talk clearer and clearer. Just this past month, you've started saying your name. Before you always just said, "B". Now you can clearly say, "Brennan". You are using longer and longer sentences too. You saying, "Love you" is probably still my absolute favorite. When Dada leaves for work in the morning and when you tell him goodnight before bed, you always do it the same way. You say, "hug" and give him a hug on one side; say, "kiss" and give him a kiss on the lips; say, "hug" and give him a hug on the other side; and then say, "Love you!" It's so precious!

You have also started saying your "f" sounds recently. Before they usually came out as "sh", but now you can say, "foal, four, five, and fries" to name a few. When you count quickly, you still won't say "four" or "five" correctly because you are rushing. You are a great counter and count over 30 now. It never fails when you take you out somewhere that a stranger comments on how smart you are. Someone will see you reading your letters or hear you counting and ask us how old you are. People are always surprised at how much you already know.

You ask to read your Bible before nap and bed each day. You'll say, "Brennan read Bible. God's Word". In fact one day you went back to play in your room and when I came to check on you, you were sitting on your floor reading your Bible. I'm so glad you still love to be read to. I hope that never changes. Momma is very thankful you still take a nap each day. I'll be a little sad when that day comes to an end.

You have become a crazy backseat driver (I have no idea where you get that from). You always want to tell us which was to go. Most of the time you do know which way we need to go, but if we go a different way than you want you get mad. It's pretty funny. Also pretty funny is that fact that all of a sudden you've learned to pull down your own pants and will do it in the middle of the living room letting everything just hang loose. Just the other day you completely pulled off your underwear and then started walking around the room like it was no big deal. I guess it's time to let you pull off your own shorts and underwear before you use the potty.

You are able to run now. It took a long time and you're still not great at it, but you're getting there. Just today I saw you jump completely on your own for the first time. Probably because you've been using your trampoline so much. I think your gross motor skills will continue to improve when you start school in the fall and Momma's not there to be your crutch anymore. You are much more efficient with climbing stairs now and have even started going down them on your own by holding onto the railing.

Some of your current favorite things are going to the playground (especially swinging), playing in the sprinkler, and eating Twizzlers. You are so observant of things around you. In the car, you point out all sorts of things. You shout out the names of restaurants you see, call out exit numbers, and say if garages are open or closed. You notice anything that is new: Daddy's new watch, his new badge, his new shoes, or a new outfit I pick out for you to wear.

As you can tell, you've been busy this month. I have a feeling it's only going to be busier and busier. I know the next few months are going to be a little stressful because it'll just be the two of us, but we make a pretty good team. I just want to make as many fun memories I can with you before baby number two arrives!

Love you bunches!

Mommy