Two and a half

Somebody is two and a half!

There are so many things I want to remember about my sweet little pumpkin at two and a half.  Just a few of them are:

The way she adds syllables to words.  She's got a southern accent on certain words, like milk, which she pronounces mee-lk.  Good = goo-ould.  I'm not totally sure where it comes from; I know she is perfectly capable of saying these words correctly, she's just in a phase right now.  It's pretty hillarious.

How she has become so much more physically capable over the past few months.  This summer, her physical development really blossomed.  She can run, kick a soccer ball, jump, pedal her bike, climb the really big climbing wall at the park (the one that is even over Daddy's head), go down the BIG KID slide all by herself, and so much more.  We've obviously seen the verbal and cognitive development all along, but it has been so neat to watch as she develops coordination and physical skills.

Puts her clothes on by herself (okay, so mostly she tries to).  Can actually do socks and shoes on her own, and is 50/50 with pants (sometimes they're on backwards, sometimes two legs are in the same hole).  She's getting quite independent about the whole getting dressed process.

That she prefers older kids to kids her own age.  She's never been in love with kids her own age, preferring to play by herself.  Now, she seeks out the older kids - typically five or above - and tries to play with them.  When we go to the park, she inevitably finds an older kids to tag along with, and usually, they are more than happy to play with her too.

How sweet she is to her baby brother.  I can't say she's totally thrilled with me, and I can't say the adjustment has been flawless, but boy oh boy, she loves this tiny one. 

The way her imagination is taking off.  It is so much fun to watch the crazy stories and things she comes up with.  The other day in the car, we had a whole conversation about where the car's butt is.  Ultimately, she decided that we would have to buy it one at the butt store, and make sure to get it some big girl panties, too. 

She is outgrowing her 2T clothing very rapidly (like, I need to go to the store and get some fall clothes in a bigger size, STAT!), and wears size 7 shoes. 

Has become a true wild woman, complete with climbing all over furniture and tables and running through the house with the volume turned all the way up... not my favorite pass time, I'm not gonna lie.  (Please, someone tell me they all go through this - and that it doesn't last forever?)

The girl loves to sing.  It may possibly be because we always make up silly songs about everything and anything, but so does she.  And they're kind of a hoot.

Is still a fantastic sleeper.  I worried that when we transitioned her into her big girl bed, she might lose that.  Usually she falls asleep within about 30 minutes of being put down, and remains asleep (or at least in bed) until someone comes to get her.  The girl will hang out without any protesting, happy as a clam, in her bed for slightly obscene amounts of time.  She has only ever once gotten out of bed without one of us coming to get her, and that was while we were in the hospital because she was missing mommy.

Is very vocal about what she "needs."  As in, "I need to rock a little longer" or "I need another kiss."  (See also: "I need this!" while grabbing something she's not supposed to have with lightning hands.)

Sleeps with exactly 904 teddies and assorted toys in her bed, and insists on having the comforter on her, even when it is 86 degrees in her room.

Has awesome hair that curls in all the wrong places, and refuses to lie down and behave no matter how many times it is brushed.  I still just love the fact that she has hair to begin with.

Has gone backward on the potty training issue since becoming a big sis.  She's currently on the two strike plan, and then it's back to diapers.  Unfortunately, Mommy can't spend the entire day setting pee pee timers and changing wet pants, so the whole potty training thing has gotten de-railed a bit. 

Two and a half is definitely her most challenging age so far.  Along with all of those smarts and independence comes some very defiant behavior, and she's sharp and articulate enough to throw things back in our faces in ways she absolutely shouldn't be able to yet. 

There is no doubt, though, that she is one loved little girl.  We couldn't be more proud of this kid we've raised, and it is impossible to think that two and a half years ago, she was as little and tiny as Logan is now. 

What an incredible journey she's had so far - we can't wait for what comes next!