Anniston: 2 Years

Yes- I realize that it's been a month since Anniston turned two and I'm just now getting around to doing her update.  Things have been crazy busy lately, but I knew if I didn't stop to write this post, I would regret it.  Anniston has really developed into her own little person, doing new things and saying new phrases all the time.  I've been so bad about documenting things lately so I want to make sure I do this post properly.  In other words- this may be a long and boring post for anyone who is not Anniston's immediate family:)

I'm doing this bullet style so I can get in more with less words (see, I warned you this would be long.)

--Singing!  Anniston is singing along with everything lately.  Some of her favorites to sing along with me are:  ABCs, You Are My Sunshine, Jesus Loves Me, Easy (the now-annoying Sheryl Crow song that she has worn out), and the intro to Dora.  Just within the last week or so, Brandon and I have heard her sing a few words here and there to random songs on the radio.  It's crazy to me how she knows songs that we don't even sing together or play over and over.  Last week she heard "Sweet Annie" by the Zac Brown Band on the radio as we were coming home from dinner one night.  Once I pointed out that they were singing her name, she has wanted to play it constantly.  She will walk around with it playing on my phone and softly sing some of the words with it.  I'm hoping we can move on from "Easy" now.  It really is a sweet song and her little voice singing it is just too cute. 

--She loves to do arts and crafts.  Coloring, painting, playing with stickers and play-dough- she loves it all.  She further entertains herself by tearing pieces of masking tape off and taping it all over her paper.  She knows all of her colors- even brown, white, and black. I don't know which is her favorite although her voice does get a little perkier when she says pink, purple, or yellow:)

--Her favorite TV shows are Dora, Diego, Caillou, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  I recently bought the Little Mermaid for her and she LOVES it!  We watch it for a little bit almost every night before bed.  She loves to sing along with Ariel, too.

--She loves to play dress-up!  She has so much fun trying on mine or Brandon's hoes and adding a purse or some jewelry to complete the outfit.  My purses are her favorite.  I fond one of mine in the playroom the other day.  I picked it up and almost strained my back because it was so heavy.  Why?  Oh, it was weighed down with about 20 lbs of my costume jewelry that I allow her to play with.  She loves her Minnie Mouse and Sofia the First dress up high heels.  She will put on her heels and push around her shopping basket, gathering up random household objects to throw in there.  It's amazing what all Brandon and I have found in there before.

--She loves playing "doctor" and has a preference for playing the patient.  Almost always.  I tried the other night to be the patient for a change.  "No, my turn", she says.  It's almost always her turn:)

--She can count to 10 by herself but will only do it upon request when she feels like it.

--She knows all of her basic shapes.  She can identify them and say the names.

--She has really started pitching a few more temper tantrums lately.  The other day, she informed me she wanted something "NOW!"  Brandon and I have put her in time out a couple of times but I don't think that strategy has reached it's full potential just yet.  The last few times she has acted out I've asked her if she wanted to be put in time out.  She replies "Yeah" with a smile on her face and nods her head.  I admit I was stumped on what to say after that- which might have been her plan all along!  Haha!

--She weighs 34 lbs and is mostly in size 3T.  Her physician says she is following her growth curve nicely though...

--Her favorite foods are:  strawberries, blueberries, "ba-bars" (fruit granola bars, and no, I have no idea why), mac-n-cheese, PB & J, crackers, bananas, and mandarin oranges.  Oh yes, and let's not forget ice cream and "cake cakes" (cupcakes).

--She loves to have tea parties and play and cook in her kitchen.  She also loves to pretend with her baby doll.  She will feet it, change its diaper, and sing to it.  It's so sweet.  Sometimes we hear her mumbling to her baby and we wonder what she is saying:)

My sweet Annie is so loving.  She loves to give hugs and kisses.  Usually she is the one who will say "Hugs, Mommy" first when I am dropping her off at school.  And for some reason, she really loves to give hugs when she is sitting in the shopping cart at stores.  It's really cute and sweet.  And there are many times when she says "I love you, Mommy" for simply no reason at all.

Those words are absolutely the best. 

I love you sweet Annie:)