Wednesday, May 14, 2014

two years



Oh Cora, how are you already two?! Two years?! Where did the time go? You are my big girl... you are growing so fabulously. You are an utter joy to be around so sweet, so loving, and so very smart. I don't think these twos are terrible at all, they are incredible twos. But we have sincerely loved every month (past month four!) with you. We truly cherish every moment and we try to take it all in knowing you won't be this tiny forever. I want to remember every tiny detail of your whole tiny being, you make us so incredibly happy sweet girl.

What you are up to now...

  • You were slow to start speaking... but now you copy almost all of our words, and tell us what you want and what you see in your huge world. You still won't say cora or i love you...but that will be a fun milestone for the future. 
  • You have nana and papa that love you dearly... times two. You are a very lucky little girl to be the first grandbabe around. Your grandparents are so thoughtful and endearing with you...to show you the coolest things around, take time to help you master new skills, and be sure to smother you with kisses and lots of love. 
  • You are loved by others too- aunt telsee and uncle towel (kelsey and kyle) and aunt april and aunt ninni (jenni). The dogs nik-oles (nickles), emma, and tolbee (colby) and summit and gnarly and pepper are always fun to laugh and play with.
  • en-ree! (henry) is your little pal. You say hi bud! or hey guy! when you haven't seen him for awhile...it melts my heart every time. You pat his head softly, bring him toys to play with, *sometimes* you'll even give him a kiss or a hug, but he pulls your hair so you are deterred from this. You love having him pretend chase you around the house- with our help or the walker. I really can't wait for you to have him as a playmate. When he is crying from waking up you say.. "ennree?! saad. bottle?!" then you knock with your sweet little fist on his door and squeal in excitement to see him. Then sometimes "hey bud, mistyou" (missed you). 
  • You  like to give us hugs- "Huck!" when you hurt yourself or when you're going to sleep and kisses too. You also give your lion(s) hugs and kisses too. You rock lion in your arms and change their diapers, and "feed'em". You are a sweet little soul. 
  • You are just now growing out of 2T clothes. The waist fits, because you're slender... but we think you are quite tall. You are quite a good eater too. You'll eat most everything, in front of the show cute little sea-show octonauts. Actually, henry likes this show too now. Every morning of your life you wake up and have warm milk- sometimes with a little vanilla (yummy milk..like from starbucks too).
  • You have only had one minor cold in your 2 years and about 99% of the time you are a happy kid. Sleeping has been a breeze for you and us. You go to sleep around 7:30pm now (because we love our bedtime routine with you...we like to let it linger) and wake up around 8/9 am. You take one nap that might be dwindling from about 3 to now 2 hours long if we are lucky. You just like to talk so sweetly in your crib when you don't care to sleep...lining your "friends" up along the wall, or corners of the crib. You talk in your sweet sing-songy voice, content....never crying when you wake up, you just wait for us to come get you from playing with your stuffed animals.
  • Bedtime routine has been a fun one. We bought you a twin size mattress for your floor- for daytime jumping with henry and nighttime book reading. You still sleep in your crib, no need to change a good thing. So you have dinner, take a bath (sometimes with henry too), then we put on PJs a nighttime diaper, brush your hair, then hop into your twin bed (sometimes both mom and dad too) and read the owl in the tree book and goodnight moon. You say "mush!!!" and "hush" when we get to those words. You point out the toe-see (cozy) mouse by the fire, and the rising moon... along with everything else in the book. We then tick-ole (tickle) your back and get toe-see under your quilt, with lions of course. We sing a few songs. And then a hug and a kiss and you're off to your crib, covered by two blankies. Routines. You love them, we love them. It works beautifully. 
  • You think your dad is hilarious. He can always get you to smile and have a deep belly laugh. You are definitely da-dee's little girl. You like to go shopping with him at home depot buying "wood" always. He prefers to have you there too. From the pictures he takes of you two in the store... it looks like a blast, playing in the aisles. I can only imagine what a big guy like your dad and a tiny little curly blond haired clone look like in a hardware store...laughing and having fun. Quite sweet. You love the time you get to spend with your dad on the weekends- 100% dad time. Pretty special.
  • You do love me too- "mom-eee". Usually when there is a choice between mom or dad to give you a bath, put you in your crib...you choose me. I don't make you laugh like your dad, but I do love you fiercely. I call you my little goose, or goosie. Not sure why, I've tried to break it...but I just can't yet. We get to hang out all day every day of the week, before I work the weekends. You are my little pal, my daughter. 
You are truly amazing. You amaze us every minute of every day. You are not a single bit sassy or grumpy or difficult or mean. You really aren't. You are wonderful, no sugar coating here. We are so grateful to have you in our lives, our sweet little cora elm. Happy two years.