Approaching Two 8/31/09

Reese's 2nd birthday is quickly approaching. It's so hard to believe!!! I feel like every year goes by quicker and quicker and quicker.....and, I just can't figure out where all of this time has gone. Two years is a long time, but it has flown by. The other day, I actually looked at some video camera footage of Reese from when she was about 9 months old. I just can't believe how much she has changed.

So, where do I begin? I haven't blogged about the "new" Reese happenings lately. There have been so many!! It just seems like if I don't blog about the new things Reese does as they are happening, then I forget about them because the new things then become old things and then there's more new things! So, I've really thought about the most memorable new/possibly old things Reese has done/learned over the past 6 months or so.

I'll keep it short and sweet. Here are a few favorites:

1) Reese has turned in to the "Manners Queen". She is the most polite little almost two year old I've been around. She's been great with the please and thank yous over this past year but in addition to that, she says excuse me, bless you, & you're welcome! I love the reaction we get at the grocery stores when she politely says "excuse me" from the cart as we stroll down the aisles to all other passerbys. Or, when she shouts bless you at the sound of a cough or sneeze! I just love it!

2) We have really been working on being extra gentle with others around us. For awhile, in places like the church nursery or gym daycare, we were having normal toddler complications with Reese wanting to push or hit other toddlers around her. I think we got through that phase fairly quickly. Reese is super sweet to other little ones now, trying to hug them or share with them. It definitely puts a big ol' smile on my face! I used to be terrified when I would hear my name on the announcement speaker at the gym! That usually meant Reese was in trouble. Don't get me wrong, we still have "incidents" but for the most part, Reese is extra cautious and gentle with others. She says she's sorry at the instant sight of a "sad face" on someone else if she thinks she's the culprit. "I Sorry!"

3) I love how Reese makes definitive statements, pauses, and then follows them up with a yes and head nod. I love how she stretches and cuddles in the morning. I love how she says "PERFECT" with a thumbs up when she really likes something, whether it's what she's eating or a statement she hears. I love how she loves, loves, loves to read her books! She always wants to read! Some of her books she knows by heart. I love how she fake laughs sometimes when we are reading a book. I love how she gives me the choice to let her watch Mickey Mouse, Dora, or Elmo. She'll say "Watch Mickey Mouse Momma?, Watch Dora?, Watch Elmo?......Yes!?". I love how the songs she sings to me have become more complex than just "soooooooonnnnnnnng mommmmy". She'll add in a few other words and a few gibberish words. Ha! I love the faces she makes......she's quite animated. I love how she says goodbye to me and daddy. She usually gives us hugs and kisses and says "Bye Mommy, Dadda, Love you, miss you, later, bye!". I love how Reese loves all things girly!

Raising Reese has been the greatest job this entire world has to offer! I am so blessed to be able to spend every second of every day with our little angel!

Reese still loves to wear her bathing suits. I try to keep them hidden so she doesn't think about it because, usually, once our baby has a bathing suit on, it's hard to get it off. She would wear any of her bathing suits for days if I would let her. She also loves band-aids. As you can see in this picture, she has one on her little foot. If she barely bumps into something, she'll definitely "need banaid mommy". The other day, she had a band-aid on her hair because she bumped the back of her head. I thought it was pretty cute & funny! That's one great thing about having a baby......they keep you laughing!! Another favorite of Reese's are her sunglasses. She loves these sunglasses! She usually wears them in the car or at the pool. What a little Diva! Coloring is so much FUN! And, so is this coloring book that Reese received as a gift from her great grandmother. It's a Dora coloring book and it comes with this little pen that you fill with water. Then, you just color the pages with the water and there's no mess and the page dries back to its original form so you can color again and again. I like it for when we aren't at home and we need a little no-mess entertainment! I think this was truly one great invention! Ohhhh, gotta love those pig-tails!! I love Reese's hair in pig-tails! It's absolutely adorable! After we get dressed in the morning and fix Reese's hair, she always wants to "see mirror mommy". She'll go check herself out in the mirror! HA! I don't know where she got this from! :)

A close-up of that perfect little face!! Reese is so playful and full of life! I love her smiles so much and I also love that crazy wild curly hair of hers!! This is what it looks like sans hair bow or pony-tail holder.