Look Who's Two!

So, I'm a little behind with this one...what's new?  We celebrated C's second birthday two weeks ago with a double party at her cousins' house.  Grandma didn't get the pink memo or else she would blend into the decor.

Elmo was a big hit with the birthday girl.  Fortunately, he has an off button.  Nobody to blame for that one but myself.

Seems too soon, but she's definitely rounding the corner out of toddler and into preschool territory.  Her vocabulary has exploded and it has been so thrilling to listen to real conversations between my girls as they work out a conflict or make up a pretend world together.  Granted, we still have to remind her to use her words instead of resorting to tantrums.  But the words are there and coming more fluently.  The last couple of days she has been so endearing, asking "Mommy, it okay I (fill in blank with innocuous play idea) now?"  Who doesn't want to grant the every wish of a 2-year-old who asks permission to do things?  She likes to argue, too, just like big sister who is teaching her most of her words.  Getting them bundled up to go out a few days ago, I pulled a hat onto A's head only to be told by little sister, "Achooilly, Mom, that my hat."

She's taken to singing, which is always a hoot.  Her favorite tunes are from Mary Poppins.  She'll waltz around the house singing, "spoonful of sooger....medsin down, medsin dow-own, medsin go down."  Or she might wake up in her bed singing, "go fly a kite, up the height, go fly a kite soaring."  She also likes the ABC song, but insists on singing it at the top of her lungs; more of a shouting really.

I'm not impressed with the recent napping developments.  She's decided that falling asleep on her own is no fun anymore and I have to stand by her crib, hand on her back for a good ten minutes or so to get her to fall asleep for nap time.  Otherwise, she'll play for over an hour in there, talking to Elmo, kicking the walls, shouting her ABC's.  I'm of the opinion that she's too young to give up napping, but I'd be fine if she would play quietly.  I can handle an afternoon grump if I've had my nap, but keep me from my nap and we've all got problems.  I'm trying to convince us both it's a phase and we'll go back to the usual routine before baby brother arrives.

She's a real snuggle bug, always wanting snuggles when anything is wrong, or even if she's just cold.  Her "hold you, Mommy" has changed to "hold me" but the pitiful look is the same.  So sensitive to the least little reprimand...that big pouty lip makes it hard to scold her.  She loves to pray at meals and bedtime, always the same as her first prayer when I was away for an evening, "Dear God, Mommy back soon, Daddy back soon, A back soon, amen."

Two years already.  Yet, it's hard to remember life before you, baby.  May God continue to fill your heart with song, your mouth with truth and our family with your sunshine.