24 months

Mary Ella at 12 months old.

Now I'm 24 months!

As you can see, I have been playing around with editing on Windows Live. Not that I know anything about editing photos or that it is a sophisticated program, but some of these turned out too bright so I was trying to work on them. I loved this one, but couldn't get it to darken, so I just made it a little funky.

And this is what happened after she stopped getting to play the "open and close the door" game. Just a little reminder of how swiftly the mood can change. ;)

Mary Ella,

I cannot even describe how much we love you! You are our love and hope and joy wrapped up into one little body and soul. I pray that we are bringing glory to God in how we are raising you and that you always know how special and loved that you truly are. We are so stinkin' proud of you! I feel like this blog should be titled "Shameless Bragging," but that name is already taken. I never thought I'd be one of "those" moms that can't quit talking about their kid, like seriously. But I really am, I even know as I'm doing it, and I still can't stop. It's really not that I think you are better or more advanced than any other kid, it's just that you are so special to us because you are ours. We are having the best of times spending our days and nights with you! Happy birthday sweet girl! Here's what you've been up to:

• At your 2 year check-up you were in the 90th percentile for weight and height, 30 lbs. 4 oz. and 35 in. The doctor thinks you are on track to be about 5'10'' tall. Probably want to try to stay thin if that is the case. ;)
  
• Dr. Smith was also impressed with your talking. I'm not even counting words anymore because you are officially talking in sentences. You can say just about anything and get your point across. It is SO much fun seeing you be able to express yourself better! I am trying to keep track of the funny or neat things you say, so this post and others will be alot about that.
• You like to say "I'm gonna get you" and chase us around. This is something we have done to you, but it's so funny hearing you say it to us.
• You can say, "I'm two," and try to hold up 2 fingers.
• You are calling me "mommy" or "mom" sometimes. Mom, what? You are not 12 yet!
• You can also say "Razorbacks!" Can't wait to call those Hogs this fall!
• You sing all the time and love to twirl when I sing with you. You are getting better and better and are learning more words to more songs. Some of your favorites are: I Know You, Be Our Guest, other Disney songs, Jesus Loves Me, Jesus Loves the Little Children, I Love You Lord, Blue Skies and Rainbows, You are My Sunshine, and lots more! Recently you were walking around singing, "I'll be" over and over. I finally realized you were singing Taylor Swift's Mean song. You sing that part and "city" and "mean."
• You can also say parts of books. You can read the end of many lines whether they rhyme or not. I think it is funny the kinds of words you will try to say if they're in books, like delicious or karate.
• I also tested you one day to see if you knew one of your favorite author's names. (I always read the title and author's name before we read a book- it's a teacher thing). So I said, "Ten Tiny Tickles by Karen...." and you said, "Katz." I made such a big deal out of it that you went around for a few days after that saying, "I wanna read Katz." Now you can say Karen Katz, can pick out her books, and can say a few more authors' names. We tried some Dr. Seuss, but I only found a few of those that you like just yet, "Mr. Brown can Moo," "ABCs," and "I Want to Live at the Zoo." I also pulled some classroom pictures books, and you are loving Laura Numeroff. "If you give a cat a cupcake," "If you give a pig a pancake," and "If you take a mouse to school" are your favorites. These are our current bedtime stories.
• You also pretend to read books on your own. I love to watch this! Sometimes I can make out the title and author, and I can pick out some correct words or phrases on pages. It was so sweet hearing you read with expression some of your potty book the other day.
  
• Speaking of bedtime, you have been sleeping through the night beautifully, going down for a nap no problem. BUT you are trying us as night time. We haven't changed anything, we read, rock, sing, put you in bed, and whether it is me or Daddy, you cry out. I go in and you say, "I wanna rock" in your most pitiful voice. So we rock again, and sometimes that works. But you're getting more crafty with your excuses. "I wanna kiss" or "I wanna sing." We have tried to let you cry it out, but your Daddy always gives in and then wants me to lay down with you when you still won't give it up. I have decided that once your down, you're not getting out of bed. So we've been singing some more, but you have to stay in your bed. This seems to work, and I'm sure it's just a phase just like most things. I can't imagine what it'll be like when you're potty training or moving to a big girl bed soon. We have always been so spoiled by our easy bedtime girl. ;)
• At naptime when I put you to bed you stand up in your crib and say, "I wanna kiss you" in a funny voice. You kiss me, jump up and down holding onto the rail, scrunch your nose up, give me an Eskimo kiss, and then repeat this as many times as I'll let you. It is one of my favorite things right now. You also announce, "I wanna kiss you" at random times throughout the day. Love it! You also give sweet, sweet kisses to anything you love: babies, books, your rocking horse, your princesses.
  
• You have named your stuffed frog ballerina that you sleep with every night "Mimi." I don't know why, maybe because that is a character's name in one of your Baby Einstein books, but she was a monkey. Every morning and after naptime I go into your room, and you have thrown all of your stuffed animals out of your bed. You say, "Oh no, Mimi Frog fall down and got a boo boo." You also get out of bed, look at what you've done and say, "oh no, messy mess" and throw everything back in bed. We also have to make sure we put you in bed with something over your diaper, or if we don't, at some point you will take it off (don't know if this is before you go to sleep or after you wake up) and pee in your bed.
• The "messy mess" thing is one of my favorite things you say. When your toys are all over the floor or food is on the ground, you say it, and then start cleaning up. I am so thankful you are cooperative in cleaning up after yourself. You like to sing the "clean-up" song while we work.
• You like to pretend like you are hiding, like in the curtains. You also go to one specific place now to poop. But when I ask you if that's what you're doing, you say, "No, I'm hiding."
• When we stop at red lights you say, "Red means stop." Then when we go you say, "Green means go."
• You are a little chef. You love to cook in your kitchen, and you have discovered that all of your play food has velcro for "pretend" cutting. You say, "I wanna cut da food," and get busy.
• I make you say you are sorry when you disobey. I think you get it because sometimes you don't want to say it for a while if you're mad. ;) And then, sometimes you say it on your own. Like when we tried potty training for a few days, and you peed in your high chair. As I was cleaning up you kept saying, "sorry mama, sorry mama." That's when I knew I didn't need to push it.
• You pretend to lead singing like Daddy.
• I think you have a crush on Prince Phillip. When you are watching "Sleeping Beauty" you get so teased right before he comes out and starts dancing with her. You get so excited about it!
• You have started saying some things are "scary." And you can tell when someone is sad and are affected by it.
• You can say "I like" or "I no like" something.
• You say "yeehaw" or "yahoo" when something excites you.
  
• You always want to wear a dress so you can twirl.
• You are getting a little sneaky about getting into stuff you're not supposed to. Specifically, my make-up. I'll go to use the bathroom, and you'll close the door on me so you can get in my drawers and get stuff out.
• We are working on your manners. You cover your mouth when you sneeze and cough...most of the time. And say "excuse me" when you burp or toot...or hear something that sounds like it. You say "please" and "thank you" most of the time. And when I'm fussing at you and ask if you understand, you say, "yes, mommy."
• You say your name like "Mia Ella." You can also say "Harriman," and say your daddy's name is "Brad Harriman." Jessica is harder to say, but you try. You also say we live in "'sippi" and Gigi and Papa and Mia live in Arkansas.
  
• Fits are getting better. Yay!
• I am so thankful that you are getting used to the idea (or what you can understand) about Rhett. You say he is asleep in my tummy. You cover him (my belly) with a blanket, bring him snacks and toys, and love. You call your 2 girl babies, baby Rhett. You also know he is your brother, and you are his sister. When we went to see baby Micheal in Canton, you were okay with me holding him. And when we got in the car to leave you said, "I wanna see Rhett." I thought this was so sweet!
• I could go on and on and on and on...this age is so much fun!