Growing up

This babe will be two soon.

It kind of makes my heart ache. It doesn't seem that long ago that she was a tiny helpless babe new to the world with wide eyes and the tiniest of cries.

She amazes me everyday with her determination and thirst for knowledge.

She talks up a storm very much like I used to when I was a little one. She always has something to say about everything. You could give this child your undivided attention for hours and she'd still crave your company.

Recently we moved her into a "big girl" bed. We dreaded this simply because of the horror stories we've heard from other parents about having to get up with their kiddo and put them back into bed over and over again through the night. This was not so with Noella. I put her bed together one morning so she could use it for naptime but I left her crib in her room just in case she didn't like it. It only took me about 20 minutes and three tries to get her to stay in it for a nap. That night it took just two.

She very much enjoys emulating my actions and so I must choose what I say and do with care. She follows me around the house while I'm picking up and hands me bits of paper I've missed or a stray sock from under the bed. She takes out the swiffer to help me sweep, though, that almost always ends because she's knocked something over with the handle. She was given a little play kitchen for Christmas and pulls out her pots and pans to stir furiously while I'm cooking dinner but always brings me a spoonful to taste. 

She has recently started to sing and knows some of the words to the songs we listen to together. Her current favorite song is Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men. She says the HEY! parts and doo-da-doo's along with the melody. It's darling and melts my heart. 

Noella no longer has a favorite book. All books have become her favorite. Yesterday we sat on the couch for a whole hour just reading books. We only got through half of her collection. She soaked up every word of it with gusto. 

Eating for her has become a struggle. She, much like me, is a snacker. This is a problem only at dinner time. It's not too often lately that we have something that we get to have a dinner where there are not protests as to what's being served. She loves pasta (never ever plain pasta might I add), broccoli, fishsticks, ketchup, green beans and any fruit she can get her hands on. Chicken is a touchy subject. It must be cooked just so or else there is a weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth to get her to eat it. 

She has a mild obsession with technology. Jason was given an iPad mini for Christmas from his work. We decided she can play occasionally on it but only if she's behaved the rest of the day and only for a limited time before bed. Now any time she sees it she must watch what you're doing all the while saying "no.... no? no." Which really is Noella speak for "Nope. Wrong app. That's not my app. Try again". 

She has also taken to photography apparently. My dad bought her this little build your own periscope kit (which was kind of a present for him too since he was the one to put it together and paint it) and she often walks around the house looking through it and then stops, squats and says "cheese!". I have no idea where she got that whole "say cheese" bit from but it gives me hope that one day, she'll also share my love for photography. I can't wait until I can get her her own little camera. The three following photos were taken by Noella. (I had the camera around my neck and she reached up and snapped the shutter button. 

She certainly is a handful at two and I'm glad she came along and chose us to be her mommy and daddy. She keeps things interesting.