Turning 2!

A long list of chores is calling me... but I have been remiss in sharing a bit about Raina turning 2 (a week and a half ago).

I love that little peanut. She is a sweet little firecracker who alternately runs laughing when given a command (uh-oh!) and oh-so-tenderly shows compassion and love to her family. "Sissy get ouie? I sorry, sissy. I kiss. I kiss."

She is very verbal -- but not always understandable to the outside world. She'll rattle off a perfect sentence, and Grampa will look at me wonderingly. He didn't catch a word. She says "I love you, Mama," unprompted all the time, which melts my heart.

She loves stories. Is that any surprise? :) Recently she discovered the Brownie and Pearl series by Cynthia Rylant and requests them every time we go to the library. But sometimes she wants the names changed to "Raina and Hopie." Hopie is her soft little dolly.

She is a cheerful helper - and a giant mess maker.

She still goes to sleep for naps and bedtime very easily - though the list of story requests gets longer every night and always includes "Goodnight Gorilla."

She likes to show the girls their respective flashcards and say "What is that?" "Oh, good job!" She repeats letter sounds with Sadie and anything she scribbles is dubbed "A."

She is pretty much day-time potty trained. She still struggles some days with poop placement :), but she is doing very well!

She likes to climb. It is not unusual to spot her on the highest counter while I am deeply absorbed in a lesson with Elisa or Sadie. All the interruptions she provides are beneficial for training the others in patience, right?

She is fun and giggly and expressive. She is independent and maybe a wee bit stubborn. :)

We are so grateful for this little growing girl!