October 5 2016
Dearest Rua,
Wow! Two years old!! Especially with having a new little sister here, you sure are not looking like my little baby any more. This has been such a wonderful year, watching you grow and learn and seeing your personality come out. And you are one happy, spunky, confident, crazy little girl. And we love you so much. Looking back through pictures of you made my heart so happy, I just can't imagine life without my Rua in it.
In the ast several weeks your vocabulary has really exploded. Your first word was ball several months ago, and currently your favorite word is owl. Really owl anything is your favorite! You don't sign as much any more since you are starting to talk so much, but you sill still sign 'please' as you say it with a huge grin on your face. Love it. Oh and your cute little voice, it's kind of low and it just makes me smile whenever I hear it.
With all this talking, we have been noticing lots more distinctive facial expressions. One you do is you bring one shoulder up to your chin and kind of stick your lips out. So cute
There it is!
This love of owls is really something else. I don't remember Abby having favorites at your age like this but it is sure adorable how much you really love owls. You talk about owls, you get excited to see owls, read books about owl. You absolutely love your owl backpack. It all started when you got an owl bath toy from the dentist earlier this year. You brought it home, said owl for the first time, and since then, owls have been your thing.
To a lesser extent, you also love your baby doll. You are so gentle and motherly to your baby. You discovered the ergo I had made for Abby stuffed away in a toy bin and came running to me, so excited, wanting to put your baby in it.
You also love cleaning. Not cleaning up your toys, unfortunately, but you enjoy fining a rag or baby wipe and wiping any surface you can. You also love sweeping which is why you got a broom for your birthday! Now if we could just convince you that it is just as fun as Mom's broom...
You have always been a lover of water, and that has not diminished. You absolutely love going to the beach and will run straight for the water, no hesitation or fear. You were very jealous of Abby when she got to take swim lessons this summer. When you take baths you like to pretend that you are swimming.
You are a confident little girl, not afraid of too much. for a while, you had an interesting fear of windows and didn't want the window or blinds open on the window in your bedroom at night.
Speaking of night time, you FINALLY slept through the night a few months back, at about 20 months old. Once I found out that Sadie was going to be joining our family, I knew I needed to work harder with you so that you could be sleeping better before she came. And you are! You now go down easily at night and sleep all the way through every night. Nap times on the other hand have been a bit trickier. You think you don't need them anymore and have been fighting them.
Other things you have mastered this past year are climbing up and down stairs, climbing on other things like your high chair, jumping, and praying. You are interested in the potty though I haven't been able to work up the desire to try to potty train you. Soon, though.
You love to eat and have lots of favorite foods. Some of them are eggs, cheese, cereal, melons, and milk. Oh and cookies and chocolate, you love those too.
Favorite books: Go dog go, The Foot book
You are so happy and loving, everyone always comments on how smiley you are. I love it, I love the happiness you bring into our home. I love you
Love,
Your Mamma
