At 2 Years Old

• Eliza talks about everything and anything.  This afternoon, she said "There are too many noodles in my tummy, Mama!".  I reminded her that we had noodles for dinner a few days ago, but not today. "TUMMY HURTING", she said to me in [joking] reply.  Okay, honey!

• Eliza plays pretend and makes up elaborate stories about her toys. Two of her bath toys are named after her two cousins, and her bath cow, aptly named "Cowgee" regularly flies on a plane (a baby bathtub, of course) to visit them in Seattle.  Then they all go home to the sink to have tea. 

• She adores books lately, even more than before (and I thought she liked them before).  She's been reading them to her animals and dolls now.  I was working at the dining room table the other day when I heard her in her room reading to her Ernie doll.  I figured out which book she was reading just by listening to her tell the story to Ernie: "Three bears walk in woods.  Eat!" and then, "Run run run!".  Any guesses?  The Three Bears of course.  :)  It was priceless.

• Totally unrelated -- but does anyone else watch the show 'Parenthood'?  They should just call it "The Show Where Everyone Talks Over One Another".  OMG SO ANNOYING!

• Eliza is my little buddy these days - we have little chats, we go everywhere together (well, that's not really new), and we cook and bake together a lot too.  She has really gotten excited about helping us in the kitchen.  She knows all about the mixer, about what the olive oil is for, how to be careful around the stove, how to dump things into the bowl and stir... and she is so cute when she helps us. It's just so different - so so fun - now that she can talk so much and actually converse! 

• Eliza is more like a little girl now at age 2.  In every way - her body seems more lean and long, her hands are little kid hands... no more baby fat and wrist rolls.  I miss the baby fat (and oh my gosh was she ever a chunk!), but it's so neat to see her growing - physically and otherwise - into a little girl.  Once she's potty trained and there's no more diaper butt (especially no more cloth diaper butt!), she'll seem even more grown.  I know, I know, that's the point, right??!!

• Testing, testing, testing.  There's quite a bit of that going on in this house these days.  I can see her wheels turning... 'what happens when I do... THIS?!'  It's her job right now - y'know, all part of growing up.  Limits, logical consequences, positive reinforcement and discipline... yes, we've got it all going on.  And thus, our job is only just beginning!

• I know I keep saying this - and I know every parent says this - but her language development has just gone nuts lately!  She uses words and phrases I had no idea she knew... she picks up EVERY. THING.  You only have to say something once - she'll repeat anything you say. It's so true what they say about kids being sponges.  

Well, I started this post yesterday night and now it's the next day and I'm at a coffee shop studying, so I better just hit 'publish' because I can't think of anything else, and I have to get back to work - my 10 minute break is up! You know, work for 45 minutes, take a 10 minute break...?  It's the only way I can get anything done... who is ready for this semester to be OVER???  THIS GIRL.