two years young

Two years old or two years young? It's all in your perspective. Today, I feel like she's two years old. How did it happen? 

At two years Elena is in the 75% for height and 26 lbs. at the 50% for weight. She decided about two weeks ago that it was time to show off her vocabulary and it seems there are five new words every day. I so love this age and I want to freeze her. In the last 5.5 years I've always had an 18-26 month old and I am a firm believe that I should always have an 18-26 month old. They are my favorite. I eat up everything they do. I'm so heart broken to see her move on past that stage, but in the exact same breath, my life with four kids is getting easier and easier. Everyone is growing more and more capable and less and less dependent. I both love it and hate it, but mostly love it. 

Elena is so much fun right now.

The kids ask her to say, "Elbow" 400 times a day, because it's seriously adorable.

She wants to walk everywhere and climb into her own car seat, brush her own teeth, dress herself, change her own diaper, (it's about the time...potty training! YIPES!) she clears her own plate after dinner, throws her garbage away, helps load and unload the dishwasher. If it's something that can be done by the three older, you bet she's trying her best to do it. She kicked the crib habit and we took it down this week. We've not had a single problem with her staying in bed or falling asleep at night. It helps her bed is pretty high off of the ground, but she yells to us in the morning to come and get her out. She has recently mastered, JuJu and Lacey. Kevin is still not discernible. She is SO excited about everything--

"You want to go get the kids?" --High Pitch squeal!

"Should we go for a walk?" --High Pitch squeal!

"Should we get dressed?" --High Pitch squeal!

"Do you want to load the dishwasher?" --High Pitch squeal!

"Should we call Daddy?" --High Pitch squeal!

It's so dang adorable.

Also so dang adorable, Her opening her birthday presents. She was my most appreciative two year old for sure. She tore each piece off paper off in quarter size pieces, taking what Julia thought was 5 hours to open her presents. If anyone tried to help she would swat them away and yell Mine. She squealed after each one. She LOVED her cake, that Julia helped to decorate. She made "Mmmm" sounds as she devoured every last bit. She loved being sang to and would come up to us a bunch of times during the day and sing, "Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy!" She even fell asleep in her bed that night singing the same thing.

She sleeps with a pink baby, her puppy, a bear, and another baby of her choice, along with her blue fuzzy blanket.

She yells, "I Poop!" After she finishes going to the bathroom. But, we've yet to have much success at the toilet. It's close though... I can feel it.

She loves talking on the phone to Daddy and Granny. If I ever take the phone she's very upset and yells, "talk, talk, talk!"

She says, "Doe" for Thank you, please, and your welcome. 

She loves the pink cup and asks if everything is blue.

She wants to hold on to your finger to walk, but does not want you to hold on to her at all. If any of your hand seems or looks or feels like it is holding onto her, she will stop, use her free hand to fix it and then continue walking. 

She loves Barney, bubbles, and dancing! Oh does she love to dance.

Don't be fooled by all of this cuteness- She loves to push Lacey's buttons like you wouldn't believe and she knows a little whining and Kevin will give her her deepest desires. It's both cute and annoying, but I love her and need her.

Elena, we love you to heaven and back times 20! Thanks for choosing us!

XOXO-Mommy