TWO!

Our crazy little Esther is 2 tomorrow! I can't believe time has gone so fast!

ZERO:

 ONE:

TWO!

Esther is definitely what you would describe as a "spirited" child. She is very stubborn and loves to do things her own way. She is on the move all the time, whether it's running down the aisles during sacrament meeting or climbing out of her carseat, she doesn't like to hold still. The only two things she will hold still for is shows or books. She loves to watch shows (and I let her watch them way too often). Her favorites are still Dumbo and Monster's Inc, but also Walle, UP and Cinderella. She also loves Little Bear, Little Einsteins, Dora and Cailliou. 

Esther is really talkative now. I think she knows about 200 words and learns more everyday. Her favorite sentences are still "Where are you?" and "I did it!". One funny thing she likes to say is "I lost", usually not when she's lost but when one of her toys is she'll tell me "Dumbo where are you? I lost". I love hearing her start to say longer words like Cinderella or Delicious. When she's making food in her pretend kitchen she'll say "It's 'licious". Her most common word is "HELP!" (which she is saying/yelling in the above picture). Everytime I sit down to nurse Adele she suddenly has about 100 things she needs help with, and she likes to pull my hand and say help until I get up to help her. 

 Her other favorite things are:
Food: Fries, ketchup, cheese, hotdogs, pretty much any fruit and anything dessert or candy
            Doesn't like: potatoes, tomatoes or tomato sauce, she tolerates most vegetables
Books: Babies, A Teeny Tiny Baby, Brown Bear Brown Bear, pretty much any book about animals and Dora books.
Her pink fuzzy is still her favorite to sleep with

Esther seems to have grown up a lot these past few months. She sleeps in her toddler bed, doesn't have a binky and is so ready to be potty trained! One day she kept pointing at the bathroom and saying "Pee!" So I took off her diaper and set her on her little potty, and a few minutes later she went pee! I was so surprised haha. Since that first time she has asked to go more but has never gone in her potty again. She is very willing though and will sit on there for 10-15 minutes trying to go. I hope it is as easy as that first time! I had planned on waiting until she was 2.5 to potty train but she is wanting to now, so after our trip next week we will be starting full force.

Esther has handled the transition to big sister pretty well. She really loves Adele and will give her hugs and kisses without me prompting her to, but she is a little too rough most of the time. She does love to help. Anytime I am changing Adele's diaper she says "I helper" and runs to get her stool so she can stand next to the changing table and help. She is usually a little upset whenever I am nursing Adele, but she is slowly learning to entertain herself. Sometimes that is playing with her toys but usually it is destroying something haha, but that's two year olds for you.

Being a mom to a toddler is a little more challenging for me than being a mom to an infant. But we are both learning and I do love being her mom. She is such a little sweetheart. I can't wait to see who she grows up to be! Happy Birthday Esther!