Two Years Old

More like 2 years and a couple months, but who's counting at this point!  You are just so big... I look at you daily and think, how did she get so big?  And so much fun.  I mean, I loved the baby stage, but really I just love you now so much.  You are too much fun and have so much personality and say the funniest things.

At 18 months your language really started exploding.  You were saying too many words to count and repeating anything I would say soon after that.  Now at two years old you talk in sentences.  You love asking questions, "What's that guy doing" "Mommy where'd -blank- go? so on and so on.  You also went through a fun phase of repeating after me.  "Reese, what color is this?  and then you would just repeat my question rather than answering it. 

You know all your body parts, can count close to 20 (but mix up a few toward the end occasionally), know your shapes and are learning some of your colors.  I would say this has been a ton slower than I would have imagined.  With how quickly you pick up other things, I figured colors would be the same, but I'm sure they'll come. 

You love love reading and singing.  You have a lot of your books memorized (or at least the jist of them) and a lot of your favorite songs too.  You love dancing and jumping or any sort of playing. 

You are definitely starting to express your independence.  We have many melt downs these days, just like the next toddler.  Mommy is learning patience and discipline all at once.  Again, how did it all happen so fast!!??  I say my share of "do you want to go to time out?" and "Reese, no we don't do that!" but there are SO many more sweet moments that make it all worth it! 

You are also fighting taking your nap many days.  We took away the "night-night" (pacifier) which I think probably had something to do with it.  We're just sticking with the schedule though and hoping you get back on track.  I couldn't believe how easily you got rid of that thing though.  It must have definitely been time.  One day your paci in the car had a hole and you told me it was broken and we needed to throw it away, so we did and there was no turning back.  We kept your nighttime one so we could take it on vacation a few weeks later.  After we got home, same thing, it ended up being broken and tossed as well.  I can not believe how much it changed your behavior getting rid of it.  For so long before, it felt like it just made you whinier!  Anytime any thing happened, you got hurt, or just felt like whining, you would cry for your paci.  Even if we were at a play date with friends and it just drove me crazy.  Once we got rid of it, that all stopped, it was amazing!

You go to school one day a week this year and are just loving it.  Its so fun to see you in that environment and see you learning so much.  You also go to church with me still on Thursday mornings and are loving that this year.

I can't describe how much of a joy you are love bug.  I'm constantly reminded how incredibly vast God's love must be for me if he loves us one ounce of how much I love you.  I mean there is just nothing sweeter on this earth than your hugs or your precious face.  I am so so thankful that he blessed mommy and daddy with you!