Our Terribly Awesome Two Year Old!

Gabby turned 2 last Thursday :) How the time has flown!!

My mom was here to help celebrate the occasion, and then after she left Sunday morning, we had a birthday party at Paul's parents' house with the family :)

There were cousins (and other family, too!) and cake (after a yummy ham dinner!)

and presents (thanks everybody!!)

and getting into trouble with her 2-year old cousin (yay!)

and Lydia was there, too :)

and of course, we've got to do the annual sum-up:

At 2 years of age, Gabriella Claire:

• is 27lbs and 33.5" tall (I don't know that this is necessary, but Paul insisted - when they're older, the girls might not appreciate it...) :)
• is really talkative, but we don't always understand it :) 
• knows the letters "S" and "O"
• likes to count, but really just says "seven! eight! seven! eight!" again and again. 
• loves going to Nursery every Sunday. 
• gives fantastic hugs and kisses - especially to her Baby Sister. 
• likes to say "Baby! Baby!"
• and also likes to carry her baby doll around (we got her a doll-set for her birthday :)) 
• is very determined to do things on her own, such as buckling herself into her high chair and car seat and using our keys to unlock the doors to cars and homes, and gets very upset when we finally end up doing things for her. 
• sleeps through the night. As in, 7pm to bed, 8am to wake. Love it. 
• Still has curly curly blonde hair, blue blue eyes, and long long eyelashes. 
• Is a great big sister, loves to help, and has never displayed any jealousy. Yet. :) 
• Will eat almost anything we put in front of her, especially if it is fruit or rice. Veggies and meat don't always go down so well, but really, she does pretty good. 
• Is only allowed milk or water at home, but apparently loves juice :)
• no, is not potty trained yet. We'll start once the holidays are all over with :) 
• Loves the swings and the slide.
• Loves to say "Puppy" but doesn't like the actual thing being close to her. 
• Loves to say "kitty" and asks mommy and daddy to draw kitties whenever we color/draw together. She gets really, REALLY excited about it. 
• is happy to sit still in church or be quiet during drives or out shopping, as long as she has a tupperware of Nutrios and Raisins to hold all by herself. 
• has been able to eat with a spoon/fork, and drink out of a big-girl cup for a long time now. 
• loves to say "Shoes!" and put on her shoes, and usually wants to go outside after putting on her shoes.
• loves to put on mommy's slippers and walk around the house with them on. 
• loves to sit in her armchair with a book and "read" out loud. She loves books. 
• does this funny skip-walk. 
• likes to color. and eat the crayons. 
• loves to be chased and to hide and fake-scream "no! no! no!"
• likes to "help" in the kitchen. 
• still loves to dance and twirl. 
• and she has started to sing along (sort of) with some songs. Especially the Mexican Snowman song by Inside-Out, and the kitties from the Meow-Mix commercial on You-tube. 
• She loves watching Hoe-down from Whose Line is it Anyway? with Daddy.

Gabby is just generally a happy, sweet girl and we are so so glad we get to have her in our family!!