Nell Belle Turns Two

Today is Nell's birthday. As mentioned before, I'm not great at Birthdays. I'm trying to fix that. I'd like my kids to grow up feeling like there is one special day we celebrate them (and how about celebrating your wedding anniversary as your family's birthday? awesome idea, huh!). I thought about throwing her a little party, but decided she's too young for that. Reid and I went and bought her the perfect present, but she discovered it in the basement earlier this week and just took it then. Yup, I'm not good at Birthdays.

Ben and I each had social invites to attend this morning. I opted out of mine (a baby shower), even though Ben returned home from his (skeet shooting) in time for me to go. This evening I had a Church activity that Ben volunteered some (babysitting) service for.

So making Nell's day special was a little tricky. But we managed. After her nap we took the kids swimming, which she loved. Then we went to a local Chinese Buffet, which she loves. Back at home we did have one present for her to open, and she and Reid played with that while Ben and I got things ready for the Church event (which was wonderful, by the way). Overall I think it was just enough to make her feel special.

Besides, she got two cards and a present in the mail earlier this week (from Aunts) and two weeks ago at Grandma's we had cake and a little celebration. If anything, that girl's been celebrating her birthday for 15 days now!

Cake and Ice Cream at Grandma's.

That spoon was hardly touched.

As for the Birthday girl herself, well, we just love!

Here's a list of ten things she is doing and ten things she loves:

• She is so verbal it amazes me. She has at least a dozen songs/nursery rhymes she can sing from heart. 
• She is so independent it amazes me. She washes herself (with assistance) in the tub, takes her own shoes off (without even being asked), says her own prayers (they're short, but oh so cute), and is often heard saying "I do it MYself."
• She's a pretty messy eater and as a result a common catch phrase is "My hands are durdy." Per part of her independence, she prefers to use a wipe to clean them herself, than to have me wipe them for her. 
• She is obsessed with the baby "in there" and loves to kiss and cuddle my belly. She often takes out the Dr's kit and checks the baby's heart. 
• She is six years old, according to her anyway. Anytime you ask how old she is the answer is "six." A couple days ago it went up to "seven," so at least she grasps the concept that she's getting older.
• Whenever we color or do other crafts she insists on having her name on the page. "Write my name, my name, my name" is her demand until it is fulfilled. After picking her up at the Tot Spot (grocery store drop in) this week I noticed her coloring page had her name written on it. She's even getting store employees to cooperate with her. 
• She gives the best hugs! Finally. That girl has never been real cuddly, but lately she squeezes me so tight right around the neck and I just love it. She especially does this when she doesn't want me to leave (when we're saying goodbye or tucking her into bed).  She'll also climb in my lap and ask for a round of "Rock-a-by-baby." So I'm getting more loves in than usual and there are no complaints about that. 
• She still sucks her thumb and twirls her hair at bedtime and as a self soother through out the day. 
• She's probably ready to potty train, and one morning she did pee in her own little toilet (while Reid sat next to her on his big one, encouraging her all the way). I was in the kitchen at the time but I heard Ben start to cheer and tell her to go celebrate with mommy. The victory cheer that greeted me in the hallway was beyond adorable. Nothing beats a little naked two-year-old body, hands in the air, jumping up and down with excitement. 
• She is getting into accessories (which she did not learn from me). It started last spring with her love of hats (after hating them all winter). She still loves wearing winter hats (mostly mine) and also regularly demands her sun glasses. More recently it has expanded into sunglasses. Hair things are still a pretty big no, but there has been great improvement in that department. She'll keep some barrettes in for more than an hour at a time. 

Playing with the stickers one Aunt sent in the card. 

• She loves knock knock jokes. They aren't really jokes though. They started like this "Knock, Knock" "Who's there?" "Max!" "Max who? "Ava!" "Max and Ava?" "Zoey!" after a week or two of this routine we finally asked about Zeke (Max, Ava, Zeke, and Zoey are my eldest brother's kids) and ever since the one and only answer to "who's there" has been "Zeke!" accompanied with a sweet giggle. 
• She still loves Frozen, but doesn't ask to watch it as often.
• She loves Daniel Tiger, and I think she may even prefer it to Frozen (wahoo!). She's always requesting "the sad song" video on YouTube when she sees my phone.
• She loves my phone. She wants to play games on it constantly. And by play games I mostly mean rearrange my settings.
• She loves dipping sauces/condiments. A common afternoon snack is apple slices with peanut butter and though she likes apples, she loves the peanut butter (even more so than when it is on a sandwich -- she's really all about dipping). She also loves eating hummus and salsa right off the chip/veggie. If we ever have food that requires dipping ketchup (cut up burgers, chicken nuggets, etc) she'll just dip her finger right in the ketchup and try to scoop it out. If ketchup is on an actual food item she hardly seems impressed by it. She's so goofy!
• She loves dancing and all things music. She still leads the hymns at Church and has to have the Hymnal on her lap once the organ starts. She dances around our living room all the time. 
• She loves the book "Pouch" (which terrified her from age one to about 20 months), and it has been banned from the bedroom because Mom and Dad were so worn out on it. 
• She loves her brother. She'd prefer his hand to mine whenever we are walking somewhere that requires hand holding. When he's out of sight she's always concerned, and she isn't too fond of going to bed without him or having mommy time while the boys run errands together. 
• She loves "picnics." Her favorite toy is a little Leap Frog picnic basket. At mealtime she lays her napkin (aka wipe) down flat on the table and puts all her dishes on it. Ben thinks she's trying to tell us to buy place mats, and I just might have to. 
• She loves play-doh, stickers, and coloring. Our general craft time activities keep her happy and busy. She'd probably love painting to, but I usually keep those away until her nap time. She's too messy for regular painting just yet.