She's Two!

I can't believe my little girl is 2!  (Isn't that how I usually start these posts?!)  Well it's true...I can't.  I think it's been harder for me to see her get older because she's the baby.  But soon we will have another baby around here and she will be the big sister.  And I guess when I am completely honest with myself, she deserves that title too :).  She is very nurturing and loving and I'm sure she will love this baby just as much as she loves all of her stuffed animals!  I also have to laugh when I think about Violet's personality over the past 2 years.  I am a firm believer, now that I've had two kids, that they truly do come with their own unique personalities.  She is the same person as the day she was born, in a way.  Violet was always the snuggler, the mamas girl, the drama queen, the 'scowler', miss independent, and a girly girl. The difference between when she was born and now?--she can now very effectively communicate these qualities with an extensive vocabulary, along with actions.  

She is still a snuggler.  I can count on my baby girl to wake up and let me hold her for an extended period of time (at least until she starts asking for a chocolate sandwich, which she does every morning, and sometimes in the middle of the night!---just like mama, always hungry!).  Now you will often hear her walk up to you with a blanket and ask to snuggle.  I love it every time and I'll be sad if it ever ends!

She is still a Mama's Girl.  There was a time when she wouldn't really go to anyone else.  That's gotten better.  And she even lets Daddy tuck her in at night some times ;).  But I'm her #1, and I hope that never ends either, hehe!!  (I have to admit, though, that she idolizes her daddy.  He makes her laugh all the time, she runs for joy when he gets home, and she goes to him when mommy says no!)

She is still a drama queen.  As a baby she always had a very loud cry (not to mention a raspy voice which is still around today).  Often I felt like she was over-exaggerating things just because.  Now I know that was the case.  When this girl throws a tantrum, she really gets the job done! She will literally lay on her tummy and sob into the carpet for 20 minutes straight until I finally go pick her up.  And it's super easy to offend this chick!  You better be careful how you talk to her or even look at her sometimes!  She will not hesitate to give you the stink eye and break into tears...which brings me to the next topic.

She is still our little 'Scowler'.  From day one she has had this look down.  We have discovered over time that she gets it from mom.  I have dozens of baby pictures making the exact same face.  It happens for a variety of reasons...being shy, being offended, sun in the eyes, etc.  Whatever it is, it's hilarious, and once you get to know her it's very endearing, haha :).  We love it and wouldn't have her any other way!

She is still Miss Independent.  She's always wanted to do things her own way.  She was a stubborn sleeper (finally got better after the first year).  She can now be frequently heard saying "I do it myself".  We have had more than our fair share of spilled cups and cereal bowls because the two of us are playing tug of war.  Buckling in the car seat is always a battle.  The good thing?  Distraction works--usually :).  

Finally, our little Violet is still a girly girl.  And now she shows that trait by toting dolls around, wearing all of mommy's necklaces, bracelets, and shoes, and asking to paint her pretty nails daily.  But to give her some credit, she has surprised us a bit with her athletic-ness.  She's actually loves soccer balls, baseballs, whatever you give her.  And she throws/catches/kicks better than Sawyer ever did at her age.  So maybe there's some tomboy in there as well.  A pretty well-rounded little girl when it comes down to it.  

Ok so I guess not everything about her was predictable.  She has truly been blossoming this past year and surprising us with new talents and qualities all the time.  She is definitely the artist in the family.  I don't think we had a single crayon marking on the wall with Sawyer, and now I can't find a wall in my house without one!  (HAVE to hide the markers!!!!)  The girl LOVES to color!  Loves it.  Asks to do it all the time.  And will patiently lie down with a coloring book and crayons for quite some time.  She also seems to have a greater attention span when it comes to playing with blocks and toys.  Singing---another thing she loves!  She has been able to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and I am a Child of God since she was about 21 months old.  And her vocabulary is pretty advanced as well.  She is a chatter box.  (Although her nursery teacher says she barely utters a word in there...which is another quality of hers...she can be very shy)  And she's been able to count to 10 on her own for a good 4 months already.

As far as siblings go, there are no better friends than Violet & her big brother, Sawyer.  When he is at preschool, she asks constantly where he is.  When he gets back, she squeals with delight, and they run and embrace each other.  Seriously.  She follows him around and copies what he does.  And he helps me look out for her.  I cannot imagine my life without the two of them.  They complete one another.  And I'm excited to see what the next little one adds to the dynamic!  

Here are a couple pictures we took a few days after her birthday.  We were actually trying to take some passport pictures (a whole other story!).  Not a great smile out of her that day, but some cute faces nonetheless!  We love you Violet (Viley, Boogie)!  You have truly added more joy to our lives the past 2 years than we could have ever asked for!  

The famous choke-hold.  Never fails.  She deals with her fair share of rough-housing, but he deals with his fair share of 'wolf-crying' and whining...I'd say they are on pretty equal playing grounds