Eleanor was officially "Two-and-a-half" a couple weeks ago and she makes sure that everyone knows it! Anytime anyone asks her age, she proudly declares that she is "two-and-a-half" with a big smile on her face. I thought I would write down a few things that we want to remember about our sweet big girl.
~ This girl loves her sisters. They are affectionately known as Kate or KK, and Bears (pronounced "bay-ahs" with the most southern accent imaginable)
~ Her southern accent shows through on a number of other words as well, including "Wahl-mahwaht" (Walmart)
~ She talks all the time. I mean, all the time. She has graduated from just a word or two at a time to full complete sentences. For example, she can report/tattle on her sisters with great detail and clarity! She loves to tell you about things that happened in the past. Pretty much everything happened "last Sunday" or "last week," though, even if it happened five minutes ago.
~ While she is talking really well, she still has several cute little words and phrases that I don't have the heart to correct yet! My favorite is that she uses "poilet tape" in the bathroom!
~ She is becoming very independent these days and always says, "I do it own!"
~ She loves to read and be read to. She still has her old favorites (Wocket Pocket, Go Dogs Go, ABC book), but she is much more open to being read any number of stories. She has found a few favorites at the library too that she wants to check out every single week (the pink ballet book, and the thumb book!).
~ Her favorite things to play are dress-up and babies. She can often be found wearing high-heeled shoes, fancy jewelry, carrying a purse, and pushing a baby doll in a stroller or shopping cart.
~ She still has quite the nighttime routine. She usually wants "Mommy rocka," but sometimes asks for daddy instead. She has to have her "binkamamma" (blankie and lamby) and have four songs sung to her (Jesus, Twinkle, Holy, On Your Side). Then you pray and give her a sip of water and she'll go right to sleep. For 14 hours. Amazing.
~ She still loves her thumb. A lot. But she only sucks it when she's sleepy or sad or hurt or offended or cuddly or...well, you get it. She usually sucks her right thumb (which she calls her chocolate thumb), but occasionally sucks her right thumb (which she says is her gummy bear thumb). I have no idea why, but it's consistent and hilarious.
~ She has done really well learning to be brave in the water this summer. She was absolutely terrified of pools at the beginning of the summer, but now, as long as she has a floatie, she wants to do everything by herself! She took swimming lessons a few weeks ago and after the first day or two (where she would NOT participate), she really made a lot of progress.
Her teacher trying to convince her to get in the water
~ She loves board games and puzzles. I think they make her feel like a big girl. Her favorites are Connect Four (she just puts all the checkers in and then makes them fall), Perfection (putting the shapes in the right places), the little fishing pole game, and Memory (which she's surprisingly good at). She also has a few jigsaw puzzles that she likes to do as well.
~ She really likes to build with blocks. Regular blocks, big legos, magnet blocks, just about anything. Here is a creation she did all by herself. We were pretty impressed!
~ Her favorite foods are soovies (smoothies), ugurt (yogurt), nana, cheese, and applesauce. She eats just about anything, but those are what she asks for. Oh, and of course, ice cream!
~ She loves to pray at meal times, starting all of her prayers with "Fah God." She also likes to do the doxology as our mealtime blessing.
~ She loves cameras and taking pictures. If I ever need her to just sit still and be quiet, I'll just give her my camera. Here's a shot she took of me this summer!
~ She got her first haircut not too long ago and is looking more and more like Anna Kate to me every day. Sweet fine blonde baby hair. I didn't cut off much, just enough to even it up.
~ She can sometimes be very brave. And then sometimes she will have absolutely none of it. For example, she found a caterpillar in the yard not too long ago. She immediately picked it up...
And then thought better of it!
~ She was really brave, however, at a horse show we went to in NC with Mimi and Papa. She got right up on that pony and rode all the way around the ring without mommy or daddy!
Eleanor, you are such a precious and loving little girl and we love you to pieces. Your sweet smile with those amazing dimples just melt our hearts. We love your cuddles and your hugs and your kisses and wish you would stay little forever.
And, just a few more pictures since you're too cute...
I've been told Eleanor looks like me. I think I see it :)
