Dear Olivia, July 13, 2015
This is my second attempt at writing you a letter. The first was while we were in Sun River and that letter accidentally got erased when I was messing around with your photos for this blog post last night (big bummer!). I am going to try to remember the best I can what I wrote. We just had a fun time in Sun River and its hard being back at home and at work!
I am looking at the Shutterfly book that I just made for your second year of life. You have changed so much in a year, I can't believe it. Physically, you have gone from looking like a baby to now looking like a little girl. Emotionally, you now are your own person who walks and talks and expresses your own feelings. You can talk in 7-8 word sentences, probably know over 1000 words, and can speak very clearly and use pronouns. You are my chatterbox and seem ahead of your peers with speaking (probably because you are trying to keep up with big brother). Everyday it seems like you are learning new words. You recently have just started learning your colors and love to say that everything is "blue." You can also count to 10 and love singing your ABCs and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. You also enjoy story time before bed with me every night. Your favorite books include "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed," "Goodnight Moon," "Goodnight Gorilla," and "I am Bunny." You continue to flourish at daycare and I was told by your teacher that you love to lead Circle Time and the kids actually listen to you as you boss them around! Who knows maybe you will be a teacher or a professor or politician!
In the last three months, your social skills and caring about other kids has changed the most. You have really become interested in your peers. Much to my best friend Brooke and my delight, both you and Addie (her daughter) actually acknowledge each other now and play together. You have been asking to go to Addie's house and have been asking about Addie often. You two actually play pretty well together and actually share toys well together. It is so cute watching you guys play together and you guys love playing with toy kitchens and your dolls. Addie gave you a cute Elsa doll that you love for your birthday. You are also into your friends at school, Lauren and Grant along with Gino (who sadly moved into the preschool room just recently). You had Gino, Addie, and your friend James to your 2nd birthday party. You love your teacher Dora and Flor still at Rocking Horse and love visiting Theresa up front. You have begun to be very imaginative with your toys and play make believe with them now. You just got Calico Critters with a house for your birthday and you love having the kitty family go "night night" in the triple bunk bed. You are pretty good playing by yourself although you still love to have mommy and daddy and brother play with you.
Speaking of brother, you and Brandon are still getting along well. You adore him and look up to him. You also love to tease him and do get jealous if he plays with your toys and you suddenly want the toy (typical two year old behavior as you probably feel its yours!). Brandon is still really good with you. You sometimes are a bit rough with him and hit him and he is pretty good about not hitting back. Now that you are talking so well, you and Brandon are starting to play together more and more. You guys already loved playing hide and seak and tag and other physical games but now your games are starting to become more imaginative together. It will be fun to watch to see how your play evolves.
Now that you finally have all your teeth (but your 2 year old molars) you have been sleeping pretty well at night. You do go through stretches where you wake up and it takes forever for you to go back to sleep. We have gotten now into the routine of not picking you up out of your crib but either laying beside you on the floor or rubbing your back. Sometimes it does take quite a bit of time to get you settled back down. We still have installed some bad habits and I still nurse and rock you to sleep every night so part of these problems probably were caused by me . You generally take a nap for 1-2 hours around noon. Now that it is summer time we have been going to bed a bit later between 8:30-9:00 and you have been just recently waking up between 7:00-7:30 (although you were waking up between 6:00-6:30 for a few months earlier). You are now pretty solidly in 24 months clothing and 18-24 months clothing and I anticipate you will be able to wear them for quite some time. You are quite tall compared to your peers at 34.25" at your two year appointment and you were 26.25 lbs with your clothes on. Your brother was 34 lbs and 37" tall at two! You are still wearing size 4 diapers and probably will be until you are potty trained. You are showing signs of wanting to potty train (you take your diapers off and ask to be changed) but have not peed in the froggy potty yet.
You are a fierce, wild, spunky little red head! You are constantly on the move and are quite fast. You can keep up with mom and dad when we are running and go quite far. You are also quite a sprinter! You love being outside and exercising and playing. Like your pal Pumpkin, you do best when you get constant exercise as well. You are staring to show a naughty streak too. You get a little devilish look in your eyes when you know you are about to do something wrong and like to test the limits. You can now get into everything because you have taught yourself to push chairs everywhere to get to things. You are fiercely independent as well and like to pick out your clothes now in the morning (usually Frozen and Elsa related outfits). You also love to shop and now like to choose the clothes mommy buys for you (I usually let you choose between two to three outfits). You are such a spunky fun loving little girl and I can't wait to watch you grow into becoming even more of your own little person. I am sad that you are leaving your babyhood behind but excited as well to watch you grow.
Love you lots,
Mommy
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| Daddy tickling you at Addie's birthday in July at 12 months |
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| Almost 13 months in August on a walk down the street |
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| Happy girl in her mermaid outfit in September |
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| 21 months old and Trick or Treating in October |
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| Cutest little Duck fan ever and ready for the Civil War game in November |
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| You with your best pal Pumpkin over Christmas |
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| 18 months old and watching the ocean over New Year's weekend in January |
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| Our sweet little Valentine in February |
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| Suddenly becoming very adept at the playground in March |
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| 21 months old and going on a Easter egg hunt! |
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| Fun Elsa Frozen shoot photo for Liv's birthday invite in May |
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| Trying on her Auntie Tory's flower girl dress in May |
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| All decked out in her cute Olaf shirt outfit that Brandon picked out |
