2.5

Dear Haven,

You are 2 1/2.  Where has the time gone?!  I haven't been the best blogger lately, so I thought I'd take some time to share with you what you're like right now.  Mainly because you won't remember and because I never want to forget.

Where to begin?  You are obsessed with me.  Ha!  No, but really.  I'm just gonna relish in that for a moment because you probably won't always be that way.  You tell me you love me, you tell me I'm "bootiful," you play with my hair, you sit in my lap, you think I'm hilarious, and even without your cute little sentences and adorable voice, your eyes say it all.

You love Daddy so much.  Something will remind you of him during the day and you'll talk about him, followed by "I love Daddy."  It makes me melt every time.  When I pick you up from school, one of the first things you say is "Daddy take you" (meaning he took you to school) and "where Daddy go?" followed by "I love Daddy."  Same conversation 3 days a week and I love it.

You adore both sets of your grandparents.  You love to "pop bubbles" (air under the bed sheets) with Gammie and Biyah, and you love it when they take you "on a date."  You get SO excited when I tell you we're going to Grandma and Poppy's house.  Some days you even ask to go and throw a fit when we can't.

You are doing so well in school.  Miss Kristin and Miss Lexi adore you and I know they take good care of you.  Almost everyday you come home from school you say, "I play boys" which Daddy is completely thrilled about. ;)  I can tell it has helped you tremendously in playing with other kids.  You are way less apprehensive and will jump right in!

You are a performer.  I can't wait to see what you're like when you grow up... Ok I take that back, I can wait.  But seriously - you LOVE to dance and sing.  Usually your songs are either a bunch of jibberish or an observation of your surroundings in song-form.  You dance to any kind of music and love to show off your ballet steps - passe, plie, pointe, and arabesque.  I can say them and you know which is which.  So proud of yourself always!  You love dance class (even though you have trouble staying on your spot) and talk about Lillie, Summer, and Fan-kessa (Francesca) all the time!

You love to play dress-up.  Like it's almost a problem.  Everyday you say "I need bootiful dress" in the sweetest most persuasive voice you've ever heard.  Unless we're about to go somewhere, I always comply.  Your favorites are your "Seeping Booty" and "Maid" dresses that Gran gave you.  You put them on and admire yourself.  It's adorable.  You also make me dress up with you at least half the time.  I say make because you are really serious about it.  You've had to go to time-out a couple times because of how heated you've gotten if I say I'm not going to be Snow White right now.

You LOVE shoes.  Particularly high heels.  You have several pair of your own, but lately Mommy's high heels are your favorite.  You pick some out for yourself and some for me and we stomp around the house.  You also love your red "Dorofy" shoes and I've already got a bigger size as a backup for when you grow out of the first pair.  We "follow the bick road" all around the house in those.

It's not all butterflies and rainbows.  We are struggling right now with you telling other people (family and strangers alike) to "GO AWAY."  We think it's because you want me all to yourself and you don't like to feel threatened that I'm either going to leave or they are going to take my attention from you.  But MAN, it's exhausting.  You're so sweet to me (and others after warming up), but the initial interaction you have with anyone is almost always negative.  I'm hoping it's just a phase that you will get over soon.  I'll keep you posted. ;)

You are obsessed with Disney just like your Momma.  Your newfound loves are Sofia the First, Doc McStuffins, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  You love one particular episode of each and that's the only one you will watch.  You still love all the Disney princesses too.  I just love having such a girly girl.  You're too much fun for me.

You love food.  But yet you are SO tiny!  That's how it goes right?  Sometimes I have no idea where you put it all.  Your favorites are chicken nuggets with "kep-up," pizza rolls, sprinkle cheese, cinnamon rolls, strawberries, blueberries, and "peachu" (peaches).  You still call your water "go-wah" and you have recently discovered a love of apple juice in a box with a straw.

Your hair is finally getting longer!  The back is down to your shoulders but usually curls up.  The front is still super short, making it hard to do anything with it but we did manage your first ponytail!

Your favorite outing is the mall (imagine that!) to ride the carousel, the cars, visit the Disney store, and eat Chick-fil-a.  You love riding in the stroller and going shopping. You also love Target bc for a long time now when we go in I make you "bounce" off one of those big red balls outside the entrance.  You think that's hilarious and so fun.

Some of your most frequent sayings include:

So goo-ood.  (Usually about food).

I need bootiful dress.

No like it.  (Can be about anything - food, a person, you name it).

I come wid you.

Mommy wear high heels?!

Was dat?  (About anything and everything.)

I love ____.  (Usually him, her, Mommy, Daddy, or anything really).

Yook (look) at me!

Uh-huh yep.  (We've gone from okaaaay, yes-am, yeah, to uh-huh yep).

Where ____ go?  (Daddy, Biyah, Summer from school, anyone and anything).

I'm baffled by the amount of 3+ syllable words you can say correctly as well as full sentences that come when I least expect them.  It's rare that I don't understand you anymore (which is awesome) but if I don't - you let me know with a scream followed by a time-out.  Ha!  You are quite the talker and I love it!

Now that I've written a novel, I LOVE YOU.  We all do.  Whether you tell us to go away or not.  You are full of personality, so expressive, and completely adorable.  You are bossy, challenging, and defiant at times.  You are cuddly, affectionate, and loving.  You are apologetic, silly, and smart.  You love your family.  You are the most fun I've ever had.  We don't remember much about what life was like before we had you.  I'm excited to continue to watch you grow up before my eyes.  Every moment is a blessing.  I love you Haven Jane.