A shameless birthday brag

Today, Kalina turned 2. She celebrated yesterday with the cat party she'd been dreaming of (and asking for) for more than a month and a half. (Pictures and post still to come.) I'm going to celebrate with some shameless bragging, because if anyone gets to, I do. Besides, I can only do this for a few more months, as then I will have another child to brag shamelessly about and won't be able to use superlatives for either one. So if you'll excuse me, here goes:

Kalina is the sweetest, cutest, most precious, most hilarious, smartest, nicest, best kid I know. No contest. If the world were sinking in a boat and I could either save the world or Kalina, I think I'd choose Kalina. Sorry, everyone. This is why Jesus wasn't a woman, let alone a mother.

I love the fact that she's not one bit impressionable. No amount of peer pressure sways her, although marshmallows occasionally do. She has her limits, and can't be coaxed to cross them. She doesn't care what anyone thinks, or what everyone else is doing, least of all kids her own age. She just wants to be left alone to do her own thing. I think that's awesome.

I admit that I'm thrilled she's an introvert. Matt and I both understand introverts. I love the fact that when she warms up to people, she really warms up to them. It might take a little extra time and effort, but there's nothing better than being on Kalina's "good" list. And I think it's cute that she sometimes has just as much fun watching as participating.

I couldn't be prouder of Kalina's sweet, quiet activities, and also when she breaks out of quiet activities to run laps around the house chasing the cats with our "cat-whapping stick" (yes, this is a real thing in our household). I'm also ecstatic that she plays almost exactly how I did when I was a kid, with stuffed animals surrounding her pretty much no matter what she's doing. We would've gotten along great--and in fact, we do.

I like Kalina's surprisingly adventurous spirit. Not in dangerous things, but in the fact that she'd almost always rather walk than ride, and can imagine herself trying new things (currently, she has on her list that she wants to ride in a hot-air balloon, in a helicopter and on a fire truck).

I sorely missed Kalina one time during potty training when I had to go grocery shopping without her. It just wasn't the same, and how was I going to find the bananas and eggs? Matt and I both find it a bit tragic whenever we see a fire truck on the road and she's not in the car with us. What a waste of a good fire truck!

I find it remarkably endearing that Kalina could care less about numbers (and occasionally gets hostile about them) but can name several bird species by their calls and identify more bugs than I'm quite comfortable with.

I love the fact that she has resembled almost everyone in both our families at one time or another, but has my eyes.

I think it's sweet that Kalina is still a Mommy's girl. I know this will eventually change but I like to be the one who cheers her up and takes good care of her and knows what she's saying 99% of the time.

Kalina's just the best. And every day of her two years makes her one day better. There, I said it. I'm just so blessed that I get to be her Mommy.

And I'm thrilled that Child #2 will likely be equally amazing in her own way. Yes, there will eventually be a brag post about her too.

By the way, you're welcome to say the same of your child(ren). I just couldn't let this opportunity pass me by. No harm meant.

Photo: Taken a few months ago, but sooo cute and sooo Kalina.