Two

Four weeks ago, my first baby turned two. Right now she is growing and changing at an astonishing pace, and I don't want to forget a thing. But I know my memory isn't that good, so now I can always be reminded of...

How she squints her eyes, scrunches up her nose and says "Keese!" when I'm trying to take a picture.

How instead of an emphatic "Uh-HUH!", she's started to say "Yah!" like a Swede.

How she has memorized parts of certain books, and reads them out loud.

How if I'm singing a song from a movie or a show that she watches, she recognizes which one the song is from.

How if I'm singing something she doesn't recognize, she stops me and asks me to sing Itsy Bitsy Spider instead.

How she says "Kay, bu-dah!" (It's okay, brother!) when Declan is crying.

How after watching the Summer Olympics, she started swimming in the bathtub.

How she drags around the step stool, so while I change Declan's diaper, she can pinch his cheeks. 

How she somehow has learned to say thank you, or rather "Keek you!" at all appropriate moments. Also whenever she hands YOU something.

How she is more enthusiastic when talking about cake, than when actually eating it.

How her hair is always tangled.

How she pretends to race, and counts down "One...two...ONE!" or "Free...free...FREE!"

How "hugging" her brother turns into a bellyflop on top of him.

How she runs to help me unload the dishwasher and put wet clothes in the dryer.

How she says "munny" (bunny) and "mana" (banana) even though she says "book" and "baby" and plenty of other "b" words just fine.

How big she reaches for something high up in the pantry, and always does a little jump, like that will help.

How expressive her sounds are. "Hmmmm..." 

"Wheeeee!"

"Huh?" 

"Wwoooww!"

How every morning, first she asks where her brother is, and then tells me she's hungry.

How she's usually hungry for crackers but not a lot of other things.

How putting her in a pair of jeans made her look so much older.

How she loves to try to put on her shoes, and clunks around the house with them half on.

How she puts stickers on her nose and leaves them there for hours.

How she tells me I'm cute after I get dressed.

How divine it is to snuggle with her on the couch, because having a still moment is a rare gift. 

How much her brother obviously adores her.

How she loves playing games with her daddy and riding on his shoulders.

How much we love every bit of Isla Florence.