Two Years Old!

I cannot believe my "baby" girl is two years old today!!!!  It seems like just yesterday you entered this world!  And of course I still remember the night you were born just like it was yesterday!  I think of it so many times as I drive down the curvy, hilly road near our house.

I remember having a completely typical day of story time and running errands with Evie....of having a quiet night with Mike once Evie was asleep and going to sleep ourselves around 11:00.  I remember waking up a short while later at midnight, feeling as if I was going into labor.  (I didn't have those feeling with Evie as I was induced with her and I was actually scheduled for a c-section the next week with Layla).  I remember telling myself...you're supposed to walk around, take a bath, etc.  if it doesn't stop it's probably labor.  Well....fifteen minutes of doing almost nothing and I new something was up.  I woke Mike, we called the hospital, he put Evie in the car and we were almost out the door by 12:45 when my water broke.  Away we drove to the hospital.....and nothing like feeling as if you are going to deliver your baby in the car with your 20 month old in the back seat!

We made it to the hospital, they rushed me to a room a little after 1:30 and an hour later we got to meet our sweet baby girl!  My cousin Sheri had made it to the hospital about 15 minutes before she was born so Evie was hanging with her in the waiting room!

This is one of my favorite photos Sheri took that night.   Evie knew where we were (since she had been in the room with us for a while), and walked to the doors saying "there" and wanting to go in there with us:)

Evie was immediately so in love you also!  And did not want to leave the hospital without you!

Such a crazy night/morning.....but one of the happiest days of my life!

Our sweet little angel at 4 days old!

 And now that you are TWO, you are so full of life and very determined!  We love all your "strong leadership skills" ;) and you melt our hearts with those big brown eyes.  You never cease to amaze us and you make our days brighter!  We are so proud of all that you have learned in your short two years and we can't wait to see what the future holds for you!

Here is just a short picture of what daily life is like with our two year old!

You LOVE dress-up shoes and heels!  I can always find you running around in your play shoes or sometimes in my heels as well!  And I must say I am quite impressed with how you walk and even run in them!

A little clip of her wearing mommy's heels. 

*(You may need to mute the music on the lower right hand column to hear the videos)

You love pretending to write your name!

And when you have a big sis who LOVES Disney princesses, you are able to name/identify all of them at 22 months!

You love using markers, crayons, and glue....

....but your favorite is glitter...or "sparkles" as you like to call it!

You have always been a climber so it doesn't surprise me, you learned to climb the rock wall before you were even two!

Of course with all this determination, you are extremely independent and know exactly what you want. And are not afraid to let us know what it is you want!

A couple months ago you decided you no longer wanted to sleep in your crib!  (Up until then you had been so great about letting me put you down for nap or bed and putting yourself to sleep).  Now you suddenly were getting mad and throwing out your pillow, stuffed animals......

.....and even your beloved blankets!

.......until you figured out how to climb out!

 ......and we decided it was time for a big bed!

You are sure to let me know you want to buckle your carseat by yourself....now if I could just easily convince you you need to be in the seat first!

 And once you are in the seat....convince you you need to actually be sitting!

And you are already giving your daddy a hard time about something as simple as brushing your teeth.....I'm scared to think about what the teenage years might hold!

....and you didn't back down!  (I don't even know where she learned to close her door like that!)

You are also determined to get dressed yourself!  You get mad and frustrated when it isn't working, but you get even more upset if I try to help!  And I don't dare fix it, even if it ends up backwards!

But all these ideas you have also leads to a wonderful imagination I already see developing!

And your style and pizzazz puts a smile on my face EVERY day!!

Layla you are one of the lights of our lives and our world is a better place with you in it!  We love you so very much and hope your birthday is as wonderful as you are!!!!!

(Need I mention she does her own hair as well!)