2 years old

Our sweet baby girl turned 2 years old today. TWO. I seriously cant believe it! Sweet Sierra, This has been a really fun year, watching your personality develop. You fit the description of a spirited baby when you were just a few months old and it still holds true today - so full of energy, life, giggles and sass!!! You keep us on our toes! We have gone through some big events this year - your first overseas trip to Argentina, a very scary trip in an ambulance after a febrile seizure, becoming a big sister, learning how to live with a peanut allergy, welcoming 2 new cousins, starting your first school... And that doesn't include all of the daily things you do to have fun and make us laugh. You are a very silly girl and you love to tease. You are so inquisitive and ask questions all day: "hey Mommy, whatcha doin' Mommy?", "where my Daddy go?", "where my baby Reid go?", "owts (what's) that sound?", "Mommy, wanna color?", "Mommy, you wanna read book?", "owts that?" ...you get the picture! I love it. You are my little buddy and we talk and play all day. You are such a good helper and love to help me put clothes in the washing machine, throw them into the dryer and "fold" them in the basket or hang them up to dry. You are also great at throwing away trash, putting your dirty dishes in the sink, and sometimes even cleaning up toys! You are such a great big sister and have recently started to really interact more with Reid. You ask him questions a lot too! "See that, Baby Reid?", "Can you do that Baby Reid?", "you hungry Bab Reid?", etc. You want to make sure he is included so you want to hold his hand when we pray, give him high fives, tell him night night, sometimes put toys in his hands (and sometimes take them...but that's what big sisters are for, right?!), and you have to know where he is at all times. You still struggle with getting both feet off the ground to jump, but you sure know how to dance!!! You dance when you're excited, when you hear music and pretty much all the time. You are also getting really good at singing! Some of the songs you sing are: Jesus Loves Me, Itsy Bitsy Spider, ABCs, Twinkle Twinkle, You Are My Sunshine, Have Patience, the Clean Up song, Happy Birthday. You are a social girl. You can be quiet and shy right at first, but don't stay that way for long. You love older kids and seem to get energy from being around other people. You still have a very enthusiastic wave to say "hi" and "bye" and will say it often, even to the same person after you've been with them for a long time. You are still a great sleeper and LOVE your crib! You run to your room with excitement when it's time to go night night (naps and bedtime) and stay in there playing happily after you wake up until someone goes to get you. You still sleep with a paci and love it so much we're afraid to take it away. You also sleep with Goo (of course-he is still your best friend), pink puppy, groovy goo bear and recently Macaw and white bear. You like us to put a blankie over you and tuck you in. You pray to thank God for your family. Some of your favorite things are: Goo, coloring, playing outside, "watch T-Wee", playing on an iPhone, looking at pictures, kitties, doggies, peas, blueberries, raisins, bread, smoothies, taking a bath, reading books, going to the park, music and dressing and undressing yourself and your animals/babies. You're not quite so fond of: meat, frozen desserts, being woken up, big animals, or sharing your toys You are a Mommy's girl and I am relishing that while I can! But you do ask about your Daddy all day long. You love to play chase and tickles with Daddy and you've become his little garden helper. You can be very independent or very clingy but either way, you know what you want and tell us with assurance! You like to test the limits and see how we'll react. Your vocabulary is through the roof and your grammar is getting better every day, it really amazes me!! You still can't pronounce "r" or "l" so it makes for some super cute words. Some of my favorite words and phrases right now are: "Auntie Money" (Meli), geeraff(giraffe), mulk (milk), "peoples", yogurt (yogurt), "yeyow" (yellow), "I yove you", "upy" (when you want to be picked up), (I'll have to come back and add more here...) You know your colors, can count to 15 in English and 8 in Spanish, some shapes (triangle, circle, oval, heart), the ABC song and can recognize a few letters (B, M, O, R, S) Sierra, we love you more than words could express! We thank God for letting us be your parents and for getting to experience so much joy through you! We can't wait to see how you grow in this next year. You are a beautiful little girl, perfectly and wonderfully made by God! Happy 2nd Birthday Sierra Grace! You I wish I could capture everything about you at this age so I don't forget the details!

pillow talk

as sierra is waking up from her nap, i hear and watch this in the monitor (thank you video monitor for providing "fly on the wall" views)... "no hitting sierra, no ma'am" "i sorry, i sorry sierra" (in high pitch voice) "no hitting, time out" (she puts Goo to the other side of the crib...all while still laying down) "i sorry" (in high pitch voice) she then gets Goo and hugs him tight. and she hasn't said another word in 10 minutes precious. and so random. that is what is so fun about this toddler stage!

Sierra and Daddy

daddy - daughter time...on a lucky day, getting to "watch T-Wee"

Reid's 3 month pics

3 months

Reid turned 3 months on the 4th. Here's a little update of what he's been up to: * he smiles SO easily - mostly at his big sister and pretty much anyone who talks to him. he loves watching sierra and anytime she gets close, he lights up. * he is laughing more and more and daddy found his tickle spot - his chubby thighs! it's a sure way to get some giggles * Reid loves sucking and chewing on his fingers! Unless he's eating or asleep, that's pretty much how you'll find him * he grabs a handfull of hair and just holds it - not too hard to do when the back of his hair stands up in a mowhawk * reid loves his bath, but poor guy doesn't get one as often as he probably should...it's busy around here! * he has started noticing toys more and is now reaching for things that hang over him when he's on his back. his favorites are the red bird (this was also sierra's first favorite) and the musical star on his play mat. * reid will sometimes roll from his tummy to his back, but not consinstently yet...and no signs of back to tummy. he just doesn't seem interested yet. * he is becoming a faster, more efficient eater - thank goodness!!! but poor little guy has really struggled with his reflux again this past month. hopefully we are getting the medicine figured out to give him some relief. it breaks my heart :( * in the last couple weeks (so maybe technically after his 3 month bday) he has started waking up again once during the night and his naps have gotten shorter and shorter (although last night and today have seemed to be back to normal!). i think it may all be related to the reflux. he sure had us spoiled with all the good sleeping before! * reid is so good when we go out. he doesn't even make a peep - just looks around and observes. but he doesn't like to nap when we're out - he may take a 30 minute cat nap, but not as long as when we're at home. but he is a good sport about outings!! * he's still sleeping swaddled and in the cradle (again, until the reflux subsides) - not much use of the swing anymore, yay! he sometimes will fuss for anywhere from 20 sec - a few minutes but can consistently fall asleep on his own. this is wonderful! time is FLYING by!!! we love our little dude :)

Toddler sass and funny conversations

Some of the sass: "Mommy, SIT BAAACK!!!" (when I was leaning forward in my chair) "Mommy, where you going? COME BACK!!!!!" "look at me, look at me" (in a serious voice, while grabbing my head with her hands and turning it towards her. She then puts her face right in front of mine.) "nooooo, no kicking! This is MY body!!!" (to Reid, laying next to her as his baby kicking was getting too close for her liking) "no ma'am!!!!" (any time she doesn't like a situation. Sometimes she says it to a toy that is in her way) "don't do that!!! Don't _____" (bossing us around, i.e. "don't read that!") Funny conversations: Me: Sierra did you havefun atschool today? S: Yeah, I do. I have fun school today. Play boys. Me: oh, did you play with boys? S: Yeah, I playwith boys. Boy sooo cute. Boy sooo fun. (uhoh, we're in trouble!!) All day yesterday... "where my Dad go?" "where my Mom go?" (what?! Does she think she's 15 already?! I want to be "mommy" as long as I can!) From the backseat of the car today, talking on her toy phone "hello Poppa. Oh. I go church, go MOPS. I love you Poppa. Abuela." In the middle of watching Elmo, she turns to me... "I watch TV! You watch TV too (pointing to me)! You drink coffee. Coffee soooo hot!"...just in case I didn't know what was going on in the room. :)

Reid

just a couple recent pics of the little cutie: