{monthdate} 24 Months

My dear sweet Luella Faith, I can't believe that we are at the end of our Monthdate's!!  As I look back through the past two years I am in awe of how much you have grown and changed, and how much more I love you now than I did then!  I find it so hard to grasp that you have been in my life for 2 years, it seems like we just made the drive over to wait for your delivery and pick you up yesterday but it also feels like you have always been a part of our lives!

This month has been FAN-TAS-TIC! Oh my word you are just a fabulous little girl and I just love seeing your personality shine through!!  

Personality:

You are still in a bit of your "stranger danger" stage but mostly I think you are just using that as an excuse so you don't have to interact with adults who you don't really care for... Also you get some pretty big tears when you are told "no" or that you cannot do something.  While I do think it is pretty cute it is also pretty annoying so I am trying to figure out a way for you to stop that type of behavior - because in reality I am going to tell you "no" a lot and you should come up with a better coping strategy than crying or flopping to the floor as that is going to look bizarre when you are 16. Just sayin'!  On the flip side you are the sweetest little girl who just loves her Mama and Dada and the other people you have allowed in your "circle of trust" like Nanny and Papa.  We can always count on hugs and kisses from you at any random time.  You love to laugh and be silly.  But mostly you love to give Mama heart attacks with your wild and crazy antics and death defying tricks!  You think its totally hilarious during our night time routine to say "loves da Mama" when I tell you to say love you Dada, you get the biggest grin on your face when you switch it up!  Of course I love it too because who doesn't love hearing their little one choose to say I love you to you??!!  

Favorites:

It shows that you spend a majority of your play time with boys because you love trains, cars, buses, and dinosaurs. Occasionally you will play with dolls and you love to push around your doll stroller. You also love animals which completely warms my heart. You are always calling for our dogs making sure that you can see them and you love to spend time pressed up against the wire on the chicken coop just looking and talking to the chickens.  Your favorite goat is Annabelle, which I am not quite sure why seeing as how she always tries to knock you over but you love her anyways.  Your favorite place to be is OUTSIDE, and I am so happy that we have expanded our back yard so there is more space for you to run and play additionally you love swings and slides.  I know that we are going to be out there so much more this summer and I can't wait for all the fun! Water has got to be the ultimate prize (maybe that should be your potty reward?) you go immediately to the dog water when we head outside, play in the sprinklers, and splashing around in your mini pool (which is actually a blow up portable baby tub similar) which also means that you are obsessed with bath time and would probably stay in there all night if we let you!

Development:

Wow! I thought that you changed the most during your first year, which I guess is sort of true, but you have changed even more than I imagined this second year.  You run absolutely everywhere, I am actually not sure if you know how to walk!, are an avid climber, love the slides and swings, you love to hang from bars, fences, just about anything.  You are facing forward in your car seat and I just love being able to see you when I turn around or look in the rear view mirror, you can also climb into and out of your car seat which is nice but also super slow!!!  You point to so many things and correctly identify them.  You also have started to go tinkle in the potty! We are no where near being potty trained but I just love that we have had some success!  Your vocabulary is growing on the daily and I love that you can identify animals or things that I haven't really even spent that much time on!  You also can recognize Mama, Dada, Nanny, Papa and yourself in photos.  You call yourself Ellie and also claim toys as "mine".  You are fairly decent at sharing but could still use some work.  Some of my favorite things you say: macncheese (even though you rarely eat more than one bite!), Pooper (Cooper one of our dogs) Kari (Sakari our other dog) come'ah when you want them to come inside the house, I come I come when we leave the room and you want to join us, bwing (swing) and when I tell you to be gentle you always say "sorry _______" insert name, chippy (chips), noman (snowman on your Frozen boots "olaf"), you help pick weeds out in the gardens and also are quite helpful during cleanup time with all your toys.  Occasionally you will put your plates in the sink or throw away your garbage!

Eats:

I wouldn't say that you are a picky eater but your preferences are always changing.  Unless you LOVE something you are good after a couple of bites. Some of your go-to foods: plain Cheerios, pretzels, string cheese, apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries, raspberries, peas, broccoli, green beans, black beans, kidney beans, rice (all sorts), carrots (only from soups/stews), cherries, chips, cookies, granola bars, yogurt (frozen gogurt), pirates booty, bread (all kinds), croutons, noodles, plain popcorn, hot dogs, sausage pizza, meatballs, fruit snacks, hummus, and ice cream - NO CHOCOLATE!!! I always try to give you a variety of foods at your meals but sometimes we just make it real basic and give you one thing like rice because we know you will eat it.  You mostly prefer to eat caveman style but enjoy trying to use a fork or spoon.  You are pretty good when we go to restaurants and are willing to try at least one thing.  You prefer milk but have learned how to drink out of a regular cup so you also love to drink water and it makes you feel so grown up!

Stats:

Size 4 diapers and 2T/3T pull-ups 

12 month to 2T clothing depending on style 

25+ lbs

Size 3 or 4 Moccs

Shorty shortcake 

Hair is long enough for a messy bun!

My sweet girl you really are a complete joy and I am so grateful to get to be your mama.  I love you so much and I can't wait to see what things you do this next year!  Happy 24 Monthday my baby girl, I love you!

♥ Ashley

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