And just like that, we are two months away from Annabelle’s second birthday. 
We haven’t been to the doctors in awhile, so I don’t know how much she weighs… or how tall she has grown. I do know that her most of her 12-18 month pants are highwaters, so she wears 18-24 months but they sag around her little bottom. On top she is teeny and swimming in 18 month shirts. We have a tall skinny string bean with the cutest belly and rather small feet.
Just last night I put her hair into the smallest pony tail ever. It was the first time she ever let me attempt to tie it up and she agreed that we can buy “baby pony tail holders” this weekend. She even said those words – baby pony tail holders – clear as day. She talks more and more with every breath she takes. She went from one words, to two words, to phrases, and now sentences. She repeats everything she hears and often tries it out in her own way.
She loves to laugh. She laughs at us. She laughs at Muffin. She laughs at herself. Sometimes she says funny words or phrases just to make us laugh and we crack up at her sense of humor. It is so big for such a tiny girl.
Annabelle is a girl’s girl. She loves makeup, shoes, and jewelry – her personal collection of each is growing every day. She always wants to buy a new baby doll when she sees a Target even though her current total is TEN babies in one crib. She doesn’t like to take “No” for an answer and will often convince you to buy her what she wants.
“Sesame Street” is no longer her favorite show – now it’s “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” “Cat in the Hat,” “Peppa the Pig,” or “Mickey Me-ouse Clubhouse.” She likes PBS and Disney, playing games on the iPad, and will watch sports with her Daddy and SYTYCD with her Mommy. “Ring Around the Rosy” is played every evening with her Daddy, and so is some chase and tackle game that I haven’t quite figured out yet. She has taken an interest in ballet and loves her ballerina t-shirts. For Christmas, I think she should ask Santa for a pair of ballet slippers.
Before bed, she wants to hear stories about Dolce (her Noni and Py’s cat) or talk about family and friends while rocking in her room. Then she asks you to “pat the back” and cover her up to her chin. She likes to sleep with the sound machine and diffuser running. She usually sleeps the entire night in her bed.
She can count to 12, sometimes 15 with help. She can sing the beginning of her ABCs, ‘Happy Birthday’, ‘Twinkle Twinkle,’ ‘Wheels on the Bus,’ and a little bit of “Away in a Manger” (she prefers her Daddy sings that one after tubby time). Annabelle loves to dance, jump, hop, and really wants to jump down the stairs but we won’t let her.
Time Out has become a familiar place for Annabelle – she spends 10 seconds on the dining room chair after she does something naughty. Sometimes she puts herself in Time Out after she knows she is in trouble and laughs while she walks over to the big chair. When she wants attention, she slaps the blinds on the back door or pulls something out of the cabinet under the sink. She then tells us she has done something wrong with a little “Uh Oh.” She is too smart for her own good – too honest – and can always tell us exactly who bit/hit/pushed her at baby school. Or admit when she has done something fresh – like poop on the kitchen floor.
Annabelle, your Mommy and Daddy love you more than there are stars in the sky and galaxies in the universe. You are our everything wrapped up in this tiny human who brings so much joy and happiness to everyone she meets.
She is too cute!
She is the perfect granddaughter We are all truly blessed 🙂