A Good Life . . .

Baby Bella

Introducing Isabella (a.k.a. Bella and named by Audrey and Amelia). She loves to be cuddled, slept through her first night here, and didn't wake me up in the morning.  She is a welcomed addition to our home.

A roller coaster kid

For the third year in a row, Audrey proved that she is a roller coaster kid!

White fisted bliss?

Amelia's first roller coaster ride . . .

She insisted that she liked it and actually went a second time.  But for a girl that is so passionate and so expressive . . . her reaction seemed to be one of "I'm confused . . . this is what I couldn't wait for?"

T-O-A-S-T

The significance of this word in our household right now is twofold.  

First, diapers, diaper bags, changing tables, pacifiers, gates, and sound machines are toast!  Oh, you are such a big girl, Amelia!

In fact, we've been without all of these items for some time, and I'm just getting around to documenting it for Amelia.  The change went something like this . . .

Sometime in April - we got rid of the last of the pacifiers.  Amelia transitioned just fine  - proving what we knew  - she didn't need them.

June 18th - Amelia announced that morning that she did not want to wear diapers any more; she wanted underwear.  David was going for a bike ride that morning (translate - I was one my own), AND we have errands to run.  But what the heck, we gave it a try.  And she was remarkable!  Not one single accident.

For about two weeks we made Amelia wear a diaper when going to sleep.  And after regularly waking up dry, we stopped that last weekend.  While we were at it, we removed the changing pad from her room, took down the gate at the top of the stairs (I can't remember the last time we used it), and looked at each other in awe.  What a transformation in just a short few months!

Now . . . for the second significance of the word "toast."  Amelia is at that stage where she can read a book night after night after night . . . and she corrects me on any word that I happen to read incorrectly or skip.  For what seems like an eternity, her first pick for a bedtime story has been "A Visitor for Bear."

Now, I used to LOVE this book.  And, I do still LIKE this book . . . but I am really TIRED of reading this book. And, after reading it over and over again, of course Amelia knows most of the story.  And she thinks she knows all of the story.  Tonight, she surprised and impressed me by throwing out the word "Insufferable" before I read it.  And then, she cracked me up when she insisted (as she's done before) that the bear "made a crackling fire in fireplace for two sets of TOAST."  I even tried to explain why toes made sense and that the story really did read "toes."  She was hearing none of it.  "It's TOAST Mommy!"

The life of a two year old . . . looks something like this.

Learning new skills (a task which should evidently be taken quite seriously) . . .

Eating a much sugar as your parents will allow you to consume (and often asking for candy first thing in the morning).  It never hurts to ask . . .

Discovering new movies with your big sister (through your fingers when necessary) . . .

Crafts, crafts and more crafts . . .

Mimicking your favorite literary characters (can anyone guess who this is?) . . .

Tapping into your lifelong dreams . . . do you feel more comfortable as a princess . . .

Or a pirate . . .

Taming the hair of all barbies and doll babies, and often times putting dozens of ponytail holders in your mommy's hair . . .

And last but not least . . . being rotten, rotten, rotten!