May 20, 2015

elsie - two and a quarter

We're 1/4 of the way through Elsie's third year of life, and I can't even begin to express how much I love this girl.  She is the perfect combination of sweet and sassy.

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If I had to guess, I'd put her still somewhere around the 80th-85th percentile for size.  Strangers will ask me if she is three.  When I say no, that she is just over two, they respond with "She is a big two!" or something along those lines.  She can wear a lot of 3T clothing, is still in a size 5 diaper, and has moved up to a size 7 shoe.  Two more of her molars have come in, with no sign of the other two.  However she regularly has her hands in her mouth these days, so I wouldn't be surprised if they are on their way.

We can't go anywhere, anywhere at all, without at least one person commenting on her hair.  I mean I get it, her hair is adorable, I'm kind of obsessed with it.  But it is insane how much attention it gets.  She is pretty funny and will pull a curl out straight, and then let it go with a "bing!"  She loves her 'tur-lee' hair.

I still wouldn't say Elsie loves to sleep, because getting her in bed is always a challenge.  She just never wants to stop playing.  However once she is asleep she is a great sleeper.  Generally she is in her crib from 8pm to 7am.  Sometimes she'll sleep until 7:15am or 7:30am.  And when she wakes up she never really makes any attempt to make it known.  She just lays there and cuddles with her buddies or hides under her blanket.  Nap has been hit or miss lately.  It takes her a while to fall asleep, and sometimes she doesn't fall asleep at all.  But again, if she does fall asleep, she sleeps hard.  I usually have to wake her at 4pm because we just don't sleep past 4 in our house.

Food continues to be the way to Elsie's heart.  She'll give almost anything a try.  She doesn't like 'pice-ee' foods or shrimp, and veggies are hit and miss, but pretty much everything else is a go.  We're still dealing with huge constipation issues (mostly functional, the kid just hates doing it) so unfortunately I think we're going to try some sort of elimination diet soon to see if we can't help her digestive system out.  Between the asthma and projectile vomiting she had as an infant, I just can't believe not wanting to go is her only issue.

All of a sudden Elsie can recognize all the letters of the alphabet.  Girlfriend hates when I ask her to sing the ABC's and pretty much out right refuses (lame song I guess?), but she loves to point out letters and tell me what they are now.  She is also obsessed with apostrophes.  Haha.  I have a few shirts from various Mother's Day Runs, and she asked me what it was.   Since then she always has to tell me when she finds an apostrophe.  She can recognize the numbers 1-5 in print, and can easily count to 14.  After 14 she often skips 15-17, but can more or less make it to 29.  When she picked that up I again have no idea.  But it's cool.

Two weeks before she turned two, Elsie started taking a 2-3 year old dance class at the studio Ryann goes to.  My gosh does she loves it.  She asks me every other day if it is Friday and if she can go to dance class.  And man does she have some moves.  I've posted a couple pictures of her dance antics on instagram, and I regularly go back to watch those little clips because I love them so much.  Unfortunately I don't think she'll be able to take a class for a while after we move, because for most of them you have to be 3 and potty trained.  Girlie is definitely going to be sad when sissy gets to go to dance and she doesn't!  Her adorable little class is going to be in the recital in just over a week and I can't wait to watch the cuteness.

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Speaking of dancing, one of my favorite little quirks of hers is that whenever she hears music, she almost always has to stop because she has 'just gotta dance'!  While wandering the airport on Saturday we walked by a bar where they had a song on.  She ripped her hand from mine and said "Hold on mama, I gotta dance!" and proceed to bust a move in the middle of the terminal.  Everyone in the vicinity had a smile on their face.

Elsie is still obsessed with her belly button.  She loves the color red, kittens (sorry about your allergies kiddo!) and caterpillars.  Except not live caterpillars.  Because she is deathly afraid of bugs.  But she really likes the idea of caterpillars.  She loves her friends and asks for Ta-wins and Av-wee all the time.  But she absolutely adores her sister the most.  E is constantly following Ryann around, asking me where Ryann is, and generally needs to be within inches of Ryann at all times.  Unless of course she is slapping her or pulling her hair.  Oy.  We're still working on using our words.  But seriously, if she can't find Ryann or can't be near Ryann she is pissed.  Anywhere sissy goes she has to go too. 

She loves to give out hugs and kisses.  Her hugs are fabulous and big and tight.  She almost can't resist a kiss either.  I can be sitting across the room while she is fully engaged playing with something, and if I pucker up and make kissing noises she comes running.  And on the subject of play, her pretend play is flipping adorable.  Elsie really enjoys playing with Little People and doll houses, and will make the figures talk to each other and do things like have lunch and go to the bathroom and such.  Whenever she makes them talk she uses this funny little voice.  I just love it.

Of course just like any other two-year-old, she pushes my buttons and drives me absolutely insane.  But the amount of cute rolled up in to her little body pretty much makes up for it.  I enjoy spending time with her and watching her little brain work.

Love you so much Miss Elsie!



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