Some Two Year Memories

Two years ago (and a couple weeks now...) we were anxiously awaiting the birth of our baby girl.  That time was filled with much anticipation, joy, and fear.  As much as I loved the newborn stage (and I really did) I couldn't wait until she would sleep through the night- I thought things would get so much easier at that point with a full night's sleep.  And they did- for a short while until the next struggle came.
In just two years I can honestly say that parenting is the most challenging thing (well maybe second to marriage some days...) I have ever done.  It certainly is sanctifying.  But when this little toddler comes up and give you a hug or unsolicited kiss it melts my heart and makes the challenges seem to fade away.

Phoebe speaks very well now often stringing 4 or 5 words together.  She is not speaking in full sentences yet,  but she is getting there.  She enunciates very well.  We are often told how well she enunciates and how easy it is for other people to understand what she is saying.
She can easily count to ten, but she always leaves out "2".  We are working on her ABCs  (letters) and colors.  (We have more work to do on colors than ABCs.  Colors seem to be a difficult concept for some reason.)

She still doesn't really eat.  She has been a little bit better about trying new things (some days and ONLY if it is her idea.  She certainly won't try it if I offer it to her or ask her to) but most of her experimental foods get spit out.  At least she tries (sometimes)...  We used to be able to bribe or "incentive-ise" her to eat with a cookie or chocolate chip.  That doesn't work anymore.  If she has decided she is not going to eat something (which happens quite often) nothing (cookie, playing outside, watching a movie) can convince her otherwise.  I've tried Pediasure to try to get her some extra nutrition, but she refuses to drink it- go figure.

We have her 2 yr doctor's appointment mid-September.  I am anxious to know how much she weighs now.  We had to have hit 20 lbs by now...  I hope.  Besides her eating habits I also want to ask the pediatrician about her feet.  We think she has flat feet and Chris wants her to wear corrective shoes.

This child knows how to work a room and work a crowd.  She easily commands the attention of everyone around her.  We have visited several different churches recently in our new presbytery and she made friends with all the old men.  (The congregations were mainly older people.)  She just walks right up to people and says "hi" and asks "up please".  We took her with us to a nursing home/rehab/assisted living center to visit a friend and she ran up and down the halls yelling hi.  Then when we were leaving she waved at everyone and said "bye; I'll see you later"  She made everyone's day. 

Really, it is amazing.  She has no fear of strangers and loves people.  She is cute and she knows it.  She is sassy and she knows it.  She has charisma, that's for sure, and she knows how to use it.
Phoebe still has never had a haircut and I probably won't cut it for another long while.
She is a great big sister to Haddie Grace.  I love seeing Phoebe play and talk to her.  She tries hard to be a "little mommy" to both her babies dolls and to Haddie Grace.

She has a weird obsession with tails right now and loves to point them out on all animals and stuffed animals.  (Maybe it is from all the tail talk about Eeyore's tail on Winnie the Pooh??) Phoebe is a daddy's girl through and through.  She screams when daddy leaves and always asks for daddy when he is gone.  When she wakes up from a nap she asks for daddy EVERY day and goes into our bedroom to look for him. If we get in the car to run an errand in the middle of the day she always asks if we are "going to find daddy".  

We are not potty trained or really anywhere close to being potty trained.  I can't muster the energy to try again yet.  (We tried briefly before Haddie Grace was born, but it was too early.)
She loves talking on the phone (real or pretend).  She is always asking to "call Cece" or "call Papo" or "call Caylee"

Favorites-
Book- Go Dog Go (although a few months ago it was Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb) Food- yogurt or milk.  Does milk count? Toy- Water Table or baby stroller Movie- Wreck it Ralph Stuffed Animal- Bear and Minnie Mouse Saying- "I don't like it" Loves- watching TV or movies, playing with trains, playing outside
Thanks for bearing with some of my two year memories!