Two

My sweet Ems turned two years old last week! To celebrate, we had a birthday dinner at our apartment with the Woods, Sheltons, and Partridges. The Menu: chips, salsa, guacamole, honey-lime chicken enchiladas, cilantro-lime rice, crockpot refried beans, and old-fashioned chocolate cake with ice cream.

Emery was so excited to turn two. She talked for days and days about being two, opening presents, blowing and candles and having her friends sing "Happy Birthday." Ems and I had fun doing some birthday decorations together throughout the week, and she and daddy went on a date together to get balloons on Saturday while I went to a RS activity.

Ryker and Braelynn are so cute! I sure love these friends:

I sure love my little Emery Jane! She brings so much joy to my days! It's easy to complain about so many things when it comes to raising babies---eating habits, sleeping habits (or lack of), crazy tantrums and separation anxiety---but the older Emery grows, the more I just love her and know that I shouldn't focus on all the supposed "problems" I think are going on.

When I look back on these days, I hope I remember the happy things...like how excited I am when she wakes up in the morning, how I love to hear the first words she says to me in the morning---because it feels like she's talking for the first time all over again, singing silly songs in the car, dancing around the house, reading books together, praying together, and the girly way she swings her hips when she runs with her tiny little legs and bouncing curls. There are so many sweet moments to savor!

At two years old, Emery:
*Loves dolls, doll carriers, doll strollers, bottles, etc.
*Loves play food, pots and pans
*Loves water play and helping mom cook
*Calls me "Steph" instead of "mom" 50% of the time (see video), calls her daddy "Pete" most of the time.
*Loves singing, play dough, painting, and drawing
*Weighs 22.5 lbs (5th percentile) and is 33 inches long (50th percentile)
*Is excited to get a baby brother in just under 3 months!
*Copies her daddy's silly words and songs and makes up her own

Here are links to a few movies I took during the dinner party---they're probably not too exciting unless you're a big Emery fan and want a feel for how her bday dinner was (basically, grandmas and grandpas who live far away!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cqXN2i_Qcw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHrZTVFE--E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSKNBBz5kpY