This Is 2!

You woke up this morning with a big smile on your face and you were SO happy to see the special notes and pictures on your door.

Emily, Mama, and Everett all made you a picture - Emily made 3!

It was the 80th day of school so Emily and Everett celebrated with 80s dress up.

As you do every Wednesday, today you went to swimming lessons!
I love the way you cross your feet when you are floating on your back.

After swimming we bundled up to head to Trader Joe's ...

where you enjoyed your usual - samples, a lolli, and stickers!

 After lunch you watched your birthday video up close...

 while Mama made your dinner - chicken noodle soup!

When you awoke from your nap this afternoon, you found that your cake was being frosted. Everett was in charge of the eyes and the nose...

 while Emily was in charge of the red fur.

(but it was a big job and Daddy wanted in for a little bit too)

Once we were finished eating dinner it was time to make a wish...

and eat your cake with your favorite people.

"Elmo!"

Then, you had a few gifts to open. First, a monkey you chose at Toys R Us from Daddy and Mama.

Before opening a second gift, you received a phone call from Nana and Grandpa and you took it in typical fashion - suspended/up in the air.

Your other gifts were a Mickey Mouse Duplo train set from Emily and the Mickey Mouse Hi Ho Cherry O board game from Everett.

"2!!"

We sure love you, Eliza!

To finish out your birthday, you took a glittery bubble bath...

and 2 others excitedly joined in!

(Another birthday video message came in during bath time from Wichita...

and your Waco fans called as you were getting out.)

Happy birthday, Eliza, you have made these last two years funnier, sweeter, and more lovely. We all adore you. At the end of your second year you are talking more (hooray!) and still climbing on everything. You can open screw tops, cardboard boxes (gets messy at grocery stores), and door knobs. You are well acquainted with mini-screwdrivers and fetch them any time something needs "fixing." We have had to move the scissors up very high because you know what they can be used for and it is safer if you can't use them without supervision. You are very independent - but you also like to cling to Mama. You like to eat most everything and enjoy snacking throughout the day. You really love fruits -especially berries, bananas, and tangerines. You want to be just like your big brother and big sister and they want every moment to see you happy. They can't get enough hugs or kisses and really can't stand to see you sad. As my gift to you, I am going to give you one year of your own blog the way I did for Emily and Everett. I am sorry you missed out on that for years 1 and 2. Keep smiling, little one, we are all smiling with you!
xoxoxo, Mama