Second Year Quarterly Report, Part 2

It's hard for me to believe, but the time has come again for another quarterly report on Lia's life. Amazingly enough, she turned 2 1/2 years old today. I simply cannot believe that she is this big already and that the time has gone so fast! She is such a delightful, little toddler and a joy to be around. She truly is my little pal who follows me wherever I go. What will I do when she heads off to college? I see a major identity crisis looming in sixteen years. :-) Well, in no particular order, here are the things she has been up to the past three months....
1. She began attaching specific names to her sentences and it is just the sweetest thing. For example, she will say, "I can't find it, mama," or "Thank you, papa," or, "Look at me, grandma!" Her other favorite word that she began saying in the last three months is a breathy, "Yeah," in response to questions. In the past, when she used to agree with us, she would just repeat the word. For example, I would ask, "Do you want to go to bed?" and she would respond with the word, "Bed." But, now it is ALL about the word, "Yeah." It's the funniest thing to me.
2. Lia's germaphobic tendencies have just continued to increase. She now sometimes insist on her hands being washed during transitions in a meal (like after eating a peanut butter sandwich, but before eating her apples during lunch). So silly. She was also introduced to a cute, children's book called Messy Jess that my mother owns. As a result, she likes to point out "messy jesses" (instead of messes) wherever she goes.
3. While we were away on our cruise, Lia found another little, stuffed nunny with a rattle inside of it while staying at my mother's house. She was inseparable with this nunny the entire week she was there and insisted on taking it home with her upon our return. As a result, we now have a "baby nunny" and a "mama nunny" that are her TWO best friends and permanent fixtures in her crib.
4. Lia now gives big, wrap-around hugs (arms and legs included) when you carry her from point A to point B. I just love the monkey hold she has on me when she does this!
5. She is a talking and singing maniac! We just have conversations all the time. And, she loves to sing songs alone or with others. She is also very proud of the fact that she can spell her name out loud and easily recognizes it on paper. I can't believe how much her vocabulary has developed in a year.
6. She has discovered Dora in the last three months and it has revolutionized her life. She loves, loves, loves all things Dora.
7. Lia is a jumping maniac and can be found jumping off of our king size bed or off of FOUR stairs at a time or large rocks at the park. Basically anything that has a little height to it is fair game. And, when there's nothing to jump off of, she can be found just jumping around on the floor.
8. Lia still loves the outdoors...especially all things associated with water like beaches and boats. However, she was NOT interested in swimming this year and could never be coaxed to jump off of the dock into my arms in the deeper water (except maybe once or twice this entire summer).
9. She is absolutely fascinated with other children and loves playing with any willing participants. She loves her cousins and stares at any kids we pass in the store or in the neighborhood. It's just a shame that we can't seem to get another sibling down here for her to play with it. :-( It makes me so sad.
10. Lia still loves sleeping and anything that goes with it (her nunnies, pillow, pink blanket, and sucker). She often times will ask for her nap BEFORE lunch or the second she finishes lunch! What a girl!
11. We are seeing some of the stubborn two-ness appear in her personality as she will often times say 'no' to something we ask of her, but then think about it for a second or two before agreeing. It's as though she has to think that it is HER idea before agreeing to whatever it is. Such fun for us.
12. This is probably my favorite quarterly update. Lia loves to repeat rules to me or Ron or grandma. She can be found saying, "Do not take out the hair band," or "Do not touch the poo poo," or "Do not kick grandma" (when changing the diaper), or "Do not make a mess." It's so funny, especially when she does it with her index finger pointed in a teacher-like manner which brings me to the next point....
13. Lia has begun using her pointed, index finger for added emphasis while talking. It just cracks me up because she looks like a little adult while using it.
14. She likes to ask us on a regular basis if we hear things. Do you hear the dog? Do you hear the airplane? Do you hear the little girl? I like to always answer with, "Yes I hear it, do you?" I'm just messing with her, but she obviously doesn't realize it and always responds with her breathy, "Yeah." She also likes to play a little game with us which involves her closing her eyes and saying, "I can't see you, papa." She will bust out this game at very random moments which, of course, gets laughs from us at random moments.
15. Lia still loves to kiss things that she thinks are cute from little pictures of animals in books to a Dora plate or bowl. However, her definition of "cute" is becoming quite liberal these days as she can be found kissing toe nails that I just cut off of her feet or a bug we find outside (she obviously kisses the air between her and these objects). So funny.
So, there's our little Lia in a nutshell these days! Bundles of fun and energy! We sure do love her!