Week 104

Dear Jorie,

This week was kind of a blur. I'm sure we did things, I'm just not sure what! I do know there were a couple trips to the playground, some walks, and swimming!

You are a little fish! We got you these swimmie things that go around both arms and your chest, because you really just want to go, and I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to hold on to you. You are basically "Swimming" on your own now. You push away from me and kinda kick/flail your way around in the water. It's adorable! You love to jump off the side of the pool and have someone catch you. Unfortunately, you still haven't mastered keeping your mouth closed, or "blowing bubbles" in the water so you spend a lot of time sputtering, but I'm sure you'll catch on soon.

One of the things you've been doing lately is "taking pictures" of things with your toy phone. You see us take pictures with our phones, and I think you're emulating that. You also ask me to "Take picture mommy!" when you've done something or have something you want to show me. Like the medal I gave you. I got it from one of the virtual runs I signed up for, and you really wanted a medal like mommies (from my half marathon) so I gave it to you. You call it "My medal" and you'll put it on and then ask me to "take picture mommy!" holding it up for me to see. You will also put it on your baby doll and "take" it's picture with your toy phone.

You've also started to master using the pedals on the trike your Uncle Chris got you. You can use them to go backwards, but not forwards yet, so you still have a little work to do.

Right now your favorite bedtime book to read is a Curious George book you got for your birthday. It's a huge compilation of all the Curious George books, so we only read one "story" at a time. But you love them so much. They're really long stories, but you sit for the whole thing, and usually want another one. It makes me so happy that you enjoy reading as much as you do.

I love you so much Jorie Bear.

Reading your Wonder Woman Book

"Taking Pictures"

"Take Picture Mommy!"

Being silly with Daddy

Riding a bike at the playground

Covered in Blueberry pie

Enjoying your first blueberry pie!

Week 103

Dear Jorie,

Your first full week as a two year old. I still can't believe it. It was, as they all have been lately, a busy week. There were playground visits and your birthday party, visits to Nannie and Apa's and Amah and Apahs. Lots of giggles, running, and tantrums.

Sunday we went to the park with Bill, Jamiee and Zetta. We went to the playground first, but you both tired of the playground itself quickly, so we went down to a grassy area so you could run around like the crazy toddlers you are. While we were down there a family came over with this tiny little puff ball of a dog. You two were so excited, Jaimee laughed because she said she'd never heard Zetta squeal like that! You spent a little time chasing the dog around, it didn't seem to mind, before we got you to leave the poor family alone to their game of catch.

I did not take enough pictures this week, although I'm sure there were plenty taken at your party.

Your party was a blur of playing, swimming, running, laughing, eating and presents. There was a cake, with candles that you needed help blowing out. The swimmies proved their worth in the pool as you took off trying to swim several times.

You got a lot of cool gifts for your birthday, and there will be more coming, since we ran out of window for opening gifts long before you finished. You still have to open the gifts from me and your Father and Nannie and Apa. So far your favorite toys were from Amah and Apah, a set of little dolls and accompanying furniture. You've been playing with them constantly all week.

I'm still in shock that you're two now. It sounds so old, and you're so big now. It's hard to believe that my tiny little peanut is this crazy happy energetic child you've become.

I love you so much Jorie bear.

Two Years

Dear Jorie,

How can you be two years old already? I honestly feel like I was just planning your first birthday party. How can that have been a year ago already?

This last week of your first year was as busy as the entire year has been.

Jaimee and Bill had a birthday party for Zetta on Saturday. You and Zetta were the only kids there, but that didn't seem to bother either of you. You guys spent the entire time from when we got there until you went to bed tearing around playing with each other. They had an extra bike for you so we brought a helmet and the two of you attempted to ride bikes in their driveway, somewhat successfully. You even both went to bed easily around 8:30 so the adults could have some adult time around the fire pit!

Sunday we had your Uncle Michael, Aunt Becky and Cousin Wesley over to Nannie and Grandpa O's for a mini swim party. We got you guys these cool floatie things that have two bits that go on your upper arms and one part that wraps around your chest and buckles on your back. We got two of them so we could have one for you and one for Wesley. You were more timid in the water this time, but once you got comfortable I was really glad for the floatie, since you did your now trademarked "I go (insert person far away from you) now!" and then launch yourself away from me in the direction of that person. This time I let you go, and you kinda flailed your way forward a bit. You also did a lot of jumping off the side of the pool to me. The last time you jumped to me, I kind of missed and you went all the way under for a second. It seemed to shock you, but it didn't phase you in the least, as I then handed you off to your Father so you could do a few more jumps off the side to him.

Today, we stopped at Wegmans before I dropped you off at Daycare to pick up cupcakes for everyone in your "class." I also dressed you in your "Birthday Shirt" that someone got you last year for your birthday. It looked HUGE when you got it, but now, now it fits, and may even be a little snug. I can't believe how fast you're growing.

There are so many things I want to say to you today, on your second birthday. Second. How crazy is that? You have changed my life, and your fathers life, in so many amazing ways.

You are a force of nature, little girl. The embodiment of the quote "though she is but small she is fierce." You embrace everything with abandon, from running to screaming. You have a wicked sense of humor, even if we don't always understand the jokes you're telling. You have an imagination, oh man your imagination.

My desk @ work, covered w/ pictures of you.

How do I capture a snapshot of you right now, with just words and images? You are constant motion, these things are too static. Every day I wish you would slow down, so I could savor every moment I get with you, and trust me there are not enough. I miss you all day at work, even though I know you are happily playing at daycare.

We're having a small family party for you this weekend, on fathers day actually. I feel a bit bad that all the dad's are getting usurped, but I'll make sure to have little gifts for them too.

I'm going to fill out one of those "Birthday Surveys" for you this year, and every year until I can have you fill them out yourself. I found one who's questions I like, so I'm going to put some of them here.

How old are you?    2 Years Old
What makes you Happy?   Playing, running, attention!
What is your favorite animal?   All of them! Maybe my puppy Mojo.....
What is your favorite thing to eat?    Blueberries! (or as I say it bueburres)
What is your least favorite thing to eat?  Tomatoes...yuckie yuckie.
What is your favorite thing to do?  RUN!
What is your favorite TV show?   Doggies! (Clifford)
What are you really good at?  Running, jumping, hanging by my arms, talking!
What is your favorite movie? Have not watched a movie yet...
What is your favorite color?  I don't really have one, although I call everything "Pink"
What is your favorite song? Anything with a good beat! (also Baby bumble bee, itsy bitsy, and "the baby song.")
Who is your best friend? Zetta!
What do you and your mom do together?  Play! Run! Tickle! Snuggle!
What do you and your dad do together? Play! Run! Tickle! Snuggle!
What is your favorite sport?  Running!
Where is your favorite place to go? The playground!
What is your favorite book? Paddington, Little Bear & Corduroy.
What do you want to be when you grow up? A big kid!


I'll most likely have more to say about this birthday, as it sinks in that my little baby girl is actually two years old now. But for now:

Happy Birthday Jorie Bear. You are amazingly loved.

Water break!

Running with Daddy

Taking "pictures" with your phone

With your Best Friend!

Weeks 100 and 101

Dear Jorie,

I'm having an awful time finding the time to write these letters to you. The past couple of weeks have been so full! We had a memorial day cook out at Nannie and Apas with a bunch of our friends and family, there were many trips to playgrounds, my birthday, and a few walks around the neighborhood. So instead of listing off all the things we did, like I usually do, I'm just going to talk a bit about how you are right now, and then let the pictures tell the story of the past two weeks.

Right now you are a force. You are a Toddler in full effect, running and laughing and screaming and tantruming. Climbing and jumping and always always running. You talk constantly, even though a lot of the time your Father and I can't understand you. You mispronounce "truck" and "clock" and a lot of other words in ways that make us fight back laughter. You melt our hearts with full on body hugs and many many kisses.

From the moment you wake up until you sleep you are in constant motion. You've recently discovered doll houses, and I have my fingers crossed one shows up for your birthday, which is coming up way too soon.

You are stubborn little girl. And strong. Very very strong. You can hang from the rings at the play ground, and use the couch and the coffee table as "parallel bars" to swing back and forth. You seem to constantly want to be doing something, to not want to miss anything, ever.

You are a big kid, tall and muscular. I think people think you are older than you are when they see you. You love to play with the bigger kids at the playground, although a lot of the time you'll run towards them yelling "Kids!" and then stop when you get close and stare at them shyly. The exception of course are your friends, like your cousin Wesley, whom you knocked flat on his back with a flying tackle hug at the playground last sunday.

Potty training isn't going so well. You sit on the potty, but don't use it. You tell us you have to "go potty" all the time, saying "I sit potty!" but you almost never actually go. We've been showing you "potty videos" to keep you sitting on the potty for longer, and you have a few favorites, like the elmo potty song. Hopefully time will just work this out.

You tell us elaborate stories, usually about your friend Zetta. Most recent was "Zetta scream! Zetta Run! Zetta 1 -2 -3! Zetta Hide!" After which you laughed hysterically. It was adorable. But you often also tell us stories about the baby doll "Baby poop, oh gosh. Oh gosh."

You've picked up a couple of mannerisms from someone at the daycare I think. One of them is the "oh gosh!" the other is every now and they you say "EEEEnough!" It's really cute.

You've settled in nicely at the new Daycare now, drop offs are relatively easy, with minimal coaxing needed to get us out the door.

Speaking of getting out of the door, let me tell you, you do not make it easy to leave the house in a timely manner. You insist on walking yourself, although not always in the correct direction. You don't want help either insisting "I do myself!" even on the steep front steps. It's kind of like herding cats, without letting them know they're being herded.

We also turned the carseats around to face front last week, which means you get to climb up into them yourself, although most of the time that means you crawl into the car and quickly find someway to squirm to the other side of the car where one of us has to extricate you and put you back in your seat. Although sometimes you let your Father bribe you with the right to "buckle in!" yourself.

I love you so much Jorie Bear.

And now: the pictures!