Adventures

E and I were home sick today, poor kid had a temperature of 101. Fortunately that was her only symptom. However, I could tell she wasn't feeling well because she wanted to go for rides in the stroller, and happily stayed in the stroller for over an hour on a morning walk. E has never been a great fan of riding in a stroller, she prefers to either walk or be carried. But today, she when she was outside, she was in the stroller. Part of this was helped by the fact that she declared today "pajammie day" and since she was wearing footie pajammies she couldn't wear shoes.

Her favorite thing she saw all day was the "scooper." She and I watched it scoop several times this morning, and in the evening, we watched it "sleep."

E also started using a new expression. She asks you what something is, and after you answer, she says "no its not."

 Over the weekend, we took E to A-Z Farm for lambing days. The farm opens itself up for kids and families for lambing season, and they have lambs and other small animals to see and pet. For an adventure girl, E is surprisingly timid when it comes to touching animals. She refused to touch any animals, and didn't even really want to walk around on the hay.

She got her face painted with a purple butterfly, which she was really happy about. But, this is the closest she'd get to a lamb.

But, after we tortured her at the farm, she got to go eat lunch at a restaurant, so the day wasn't a total loss. We also had dinner at great grammas and E got to play with her cousin S. She had a blast, S is seven, so a she "big girl" and she was willing to chase E, blow bubbles with her, and even go to the park.

We went to the water park with Ama, Grandpa Ada, and Natie. We met Titi, her mom and dad, and Abuela. We had a great weekend away swimming, watching basketball, and playing outside. The cabin we rented had a big sandpit behind it, and the kids loved digging and building castles in it.

E was a scared of the water park, particularly the kids area. There was a big basket that filled with water and then dumped out, and she didn’t want to go near it. The whole time we were there, she kept saying “too loud, its scary.” However, ever since we’ve been back, she’s told everyone about that basket. E spent the whole time swimming in the regular pool and playing water basketball. She was willing to take small breaks for the hot tub.

I kept trying to make E go into the kiddie pool, or the wave pool, or use any of fun water park things. She didn't think too much of that!

This was the most successful time we’ve ever stayed away from home with E. The first night she woke up around midnight, but night number two she slept straight through!

E also got to play her first game of baseball with Grandpa Ada.

Since the weather has been nice, we’ve been eating dinner outside. E thinks this is absolutely wonderful. Now, she asks to eat outside every night. Mostly we say yes, since its much less cleanup then eating indoors!

Nite Nite

Its been hard to write much lately, we've been having such beautiful weather that E's bed time gets later, and I run out of evening. The nite nite routine has also been expanded by a toddler who knows how to push limits. We now:

1. Put on PJs
2. Brush teeth
3. Wash her face
4. Read:
     1. Dazzle the dinosaur
     2. Gossie and Gertie
     3. Gossie
     4. The Moon Shines Down
     5. Olivia
5. We then do "cuddlebuggels" for 2 minutes
6. Move to E's room, where momma lays on the floor, E plays, and dada sits in the rocking chair.
7. E sits in the rocking chair
8. E pretends to go to sleep in the rocking chair
9. Dada puts E in bed and rubs her back
10. Dada leaves the room, E demands "rub back, one more time" or "rub back, two minutes"

At that point E either goes to sleep, or about 30 minutes later we start to hear lots of playing. If she starts playing, you'll hear her call you. When you get upstairs, E gleefully tells you "E naked babies"

Then there is new PJs, a denied request for more stories, and some back rubs.

Then, if you are lucky, she sleeps!

Though she be but little, she is fierce!

Though she be but little, she is fierce could pretty much be E's motto. Particularly with the two-year-old tantrums that she's been throwing lately. But, she's been fierce since the day she was born, she's always let us know who is in charge and whose opinion really matters.

At daycare she's never let her size be a problem, she gets right into everything alongside the bigger kids. We've even watched her use it to her advantage, to wiggle into places and get the things that other kids really want.

Spring

Well, I was going to say that we've been loving the spring weather, E has discovered the joy of jumping in puddles, and has soaked through her rain boots and her winter boots. She comes home from walk complete soaked through.

However, while I was uploading pictures, E started yelling "mom, come here!" So I went to check on her and found her in bed, no jammies, no diaper, with a wet bed. She told me her diaper got wet so she took it off.

This is really becoming par for the course lately. Its like  a little switch got flipped once she turned two and her thoughts, ideas, opinions, and emotions have gotten bigger, and must be carried out no matter what. She's been having tantrums over anything and everything, she suddenly refuses to wear clothes  (only jannies), won't be changed on her changing table, and lots of other things.

Aside from the two year old behavior, E's also been delightful lately. The big thoughts and ideas mean she is always talking about something, telling us what happened that day, or wanting to do something. She also sings all the time now, which is adorable.

Whenever E hears something (like a plane, big truck, or someone walking) she makes this face and says "listen, what's that" then she usually points are her ears.

E has been absolutely obsessed with the song "Set Your Piggies Free" from Sesame Street. Ever since the snow melted she'd been asking me to walk in the grass with her piggies. So we went out on Saturday. She wasn't too excited about it yet, since the grass was a little prickly and muddy. We'll try again in a few weeks.

Birthday party!

E had a Sesame Street birthday party this year. Its funny, last year I was adamant that E have a party free of characters (since she didn't know who they were anyway). But this year we went all out. We had a Cookie Monster Toss

The game also served as a place to play inside, and all the kids took turns standing inside Cookie.

We made Muppet faces out of felt, and the kids loved putting them together

And had cake

All the kids at the party were so well behaved and had a great time with the activities and games. My favorite part of the day was after E opened her cape and became "Super E" she and her friends started running around the house, saying "super E." The kids would run into the living room and fall down, until E said "come on A, A come on!"

This is the look that E sported for the end of the party

The new rain boots are her favorite!

Two Years Old!

I cannot believe that E is two, it seems like just the other day that we met her. At the same time, I'm amazed at how far she's come in just two years. Two years old feels like much more of a "big girl" then one did.

E celebrated her birthday several times, and loved each and every one of them. Momma and Dada woke her up by singing happy birthday, and we could tell that she was confused to wake up to singing, rather then the gentle way we usually wake her.

We headed to her favorite restaurant, Mickies, for a birthday breakfast. Ama, Grandpa Ada, and Teddy joined us. The waitress made E a huge birthday sundae.

We started with a birthday cinnamon roll, and E knew just what to do with the candle.

E spent the rest of the day with Ama and Teddy, they went to Hoyt and did lots of playing on the back porch.

We had dinner with the whole family at the Nitty Gritty, we are trying to start a birthday tradition, and so far, E's made it for both her birthdays.

E got a cupcake with green frosting

E got another ice cream sundae, which she decided was better to feed to momma then eat.