Happy Easter

We had a great Easter weekend!  The weather finally felt like spring (a great thing after having the longest, hardest winter - Michigan even broke their record for snowfall for the year)!  Daddy got your swing out of storage and you were so happy!  We couldn't get you out of it.

We colored on eggs -- I had planned to do the traditional egg dying (I bought the kit and everything), but then decided that cups of food coloring and an independent 2 year old with a limited attention span probably wouldn't go over very well.  So, instead we used crayons and colored on the eggs while they were still warm so that the crayons would melt onto them.  It worked great - especially for the 4 minutes that you were interested in it.

We got up early, ate donuts for breakfast and then went to church. After church, I managed to get a few  Easter pictures out of you.  You weren't really in the mood, so it was a bit challenging - especially since you were really only interested in 1) putting the ears on all by yourself, 2) giving me your "cheese" smile, and 3) doing your new cover your mouth and giggle pose.

You wore the same dress this year that you did for Easter last year and loved to spin around in it until you were dizzy.

The Easter bunny was good to you, bringing you new markers, rain boots, an umbrella, a kite, fingernail polish, bubbles, stickers, and a few books.

You loved hunting for Easter eggs in the back yard.  It took you a little while to figure out that there were many eggs to collect - you wanted to open every egg as soon as you picked it up.  After some convincing from Daddy, you finally went around picking them all up - stopping to shake each one before putting it into your basket.  The Easter bunny left fruit snacks, stickers, jelly beans, "monies", and "chapchick" (your favorite - you didn't stop putting on your "chapchick" all day).

Graecyn 2.25

It's been awhile since I've done an update.  So here are some of the new things you're doing at 2 years and 3 months old:

Singing - your favorite songs are "upsy spider" (aka Itsy Bitsy Spider), "happy birthday cake" (aka Happy Birthday - not sure how the cake part got added to the song), "rock-a-bye" (aka Rock-a-Bye Baby), "sunshine" (aka "You are my Sunshine"), "hot dog" (from Mickie Mouse's Clubhouse), and "goodnight..." (we sing good night to all of your toys, characters from Barney, Mickie Mouse, Toy Story, friends from daycare, family members, etc. - this song can get a little long at times).

Stickers - you love stickers and have finally figured out how to peel them off the paper.  A few nights ago, you decided to put every sticker from one sheet on your tights.  "I so pretty, Mama" is what you told me when I noticed them.

Toy Story - we introduced you to the Toy Story movies a few months ago and you are hooked.  They are the only things you will sit still and watch.  If we would let you, you would watch it from start to finish.  It's become a great way to help you wind down at the end of the day (especially after a day care day). 

Hide and Suprise - you love, love, love to hide right now and don't really understand how to truly hide, which is hilarious.  There are often times where I come into the room and you suddenly drop to the ground, cover your face, and say "I hiding".  When I get home from work each night, I hear you running across the room telling Daddy, "I hide".  You usually hide in your play house and will sit perfectly still and quiet while I "search" for you.  When I "finally" find you, you have a huge smile on your face and tell me, "I hiding".

You have been talking like crazy for awhile now, and have actual conversations with us (to a certain degree), which I love.  At night time when I'm rocking you, I love to hear you tell me about your day, who you played with at daycare, what you colored. You are starting to try to use bigger words that often do not come out sounding like they are supposed to, which is hilarious.  Here are some of the best ones:

Clean Up song:

Chapstick --- Chapchick - you are obsessed with "chapchick" right now and love to put it on all by yourself, which you usually do a good job with, but I often have to remind you that it goes on your lips and not on your tongue.

Exercise --- Ekercise - we bought a used treadmill about a month ago and have been running in the mornings (Daddy's doing a better job of getting up to run than Mama is though).  You love to go downstairs to watch us "ekercise".

School bus --- skoos bus - the school bus goes by our house every weekday morning at 7:45.  You get so excited to see it and talk about how you want to ride the "skoos bus" too. 

Paint my toenails --- "pinch my pigtails" - you love to have your finger and toenails painted, but haven't quite got the request down yet.  Last time you asked me to do it, you requested me to "pinch your pigtails"...it took me awhile to figure out what you really wanted!

Toy Story phrases - "There's a snake in my boot" (Woody) and "To Infinity and Beyond" (Buzz) - you do pretty well with Woody's phrase, but Buzz's phrase is a bit more challenging for you and usually sounds more like "to inity up and on" - watch the video to get the full affect.

And the latest, and probably Daddy and my favorite...
Granola bar --- knuckle bar or nugga bar

You try to delay bed time as long as possible on most nights.  Asking me to sing another song, rub your back more, or simply just to hold your hands (awe).  As I'm leaving the room, you usually try to find some way to get me back to your crib.  One night recently, the conversation went something like this...

Mama: as I'm walking toward the door, "Nite Nite Graecyn.  Sweet dreams.  I love you.  Mama will see you in the morning."
Graecyn: "Mama, mama, mama, mama..."
Mama: "What, Graecyn"
Graecyn: long pause......"COOKIE MONSTER EATS COOKIES!"
Mama: "He does eat cookies.  Nite nite, I love you." as I leave the room, close the door, and burst out laughing.

You give the best kisses and went through a phase where you would only give me kisses on my cheeks - and always one on each cheek, saying, "I kiss Mama's cheek" while turning my face.

To make sure that you're listening to me, I usually say "okay, Graecyn" after I'm finished and make sure you say okay back.  Now you do the same to me, "Be right back, Mama.  Okay?" (making sure I say okay back).

You've been teething like crazy and now have 16 teeth!

You are experimenting with calling me different names, including, Mom, Mommy, Brooke, and Babe (what Daddy calls me).  It's pretty funny to hear.

You hate the vacuum (and other loud noises).  When Daddy needs to vacuum, he puts his woodworking ear muffs on you to muffle the sound.  As long as you have your baby, a blankie, and your ears covered, you're okay - otherwise, Daddy has to vacuum while holding you in his arms.

You've recently mastered blowing bubbles all by yourself.

There are nights when I'm really tired after a long day at work and just want to sit down for a minute or two.  But you'll often come over, grab my hand and start pulling me saying, "Come here, Mama.  Come play with me."  Who can say no to that request?

You are such a sweet, sweet girl; your smile lights up a room and your laughter is contagious.

I love you sweet girl.

Mama

Your words, "I put hat on myself!" 

You never know when you might find a unicorn grocery shopping at our house.

Happy 35th Birthday To Me