23 Months

Can you believe it? Because I can't! Gracie K is about to turn TWO!!! Our busy little one continues to crack us up as she changes and grows. She is putting together lots of phrases at this point. Favorite things to say include, I do it, It's mine, swing sky, I big girl, Mama what's this?, and watch video. Sometimes she will piece together whole sentences for us and it's so funny. She is good at telling us her feelings too - I scared, I tired, I sad, Grace happy. It's very helpful and very female. ;) (Just yesterday she started saying "I'm" in place of "I" in those cases, so that's fun to hear.) She likes to try to count (which cracks Luke up because it often goes like this...3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 13) and LOVES to dance. She wears her tutu usually about once a day and dances whenever and wherever she hears music. She has started singing too which is darling. And, she's up on the trends. Yesterday she put on her tutu and I asked if she wanted music. She said, "Yes. Call Maybe." :)

She is opinionated and strong-willed. She definitely knows what she wants and what she likes. (See favorite phrases above...) We will have our hands full, for sure. She is not as affectionate as Luke and the three of us beg her for kisses, which she will very rarely give. One of our favorite things the past few months though is when she will hold up her arms and say, "Hold you." It is the sweetest and we are quick to oblige. Luke relishes it when she will sit and cuddle with him for a while. I think she just likes to play hard to get already. 

I sent Matt his picture from last month during our first trip to the "princess store" near our house. We had some time while Luke was at a playdate, so we went in to explore. Gracie loved it. She played with everything, carried stuff around, and cried when we had to leave. Definitely a girly-girl right now. Loves her babies, plays with her kitchen stuff (picnic basket, tea set, etc.) all the time, and will sit to color way more than Luke ever would. (Maybe even more than he still will...) She likes to play doctor right now too. She still likes to watch Elmo, loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (Minnie!), and Doc "Stuffins". She even likes girly books...Fancy Nancy (Fancy Fancy as she says) is a favorite at the moment. 

We've had a blast carting her all over this summer as we've had playdates and fun at the pool. She has made little friends with several of Luke's friends siblings, so it will be fun to watch those relationships develop. Here she is with sweet Lucy having lunch at the pool.

Her big birthday is just around the corner and we know it will be a fun and wild fall with our TWO and FIVE year old! Love you our blue eyed girl!