Adele Turns Two

Adele turned two this month, and two-year-old Adele is an absolute delight. Yes, she is strong-willed like the rest of us in this house, but I am utterly smitten. I probably spoil her too much, but I get  excited when she wants to try something all by herself (even if it makes a huge mess), or when she communicates something new (I can't NOT give her candy when she says please so sweetly). She is a mommy's girl, and while it makes it hard for me to leave her sight sometimes, I really love to be loved by her.

Holding Jude's sucker for him during T-ball practice

Adele is starting to learn colors, shapes, the alphabet, and can count to ten. She tells me when she needs to use the potty and can climb up there all by herself and go. I'm still so startled that she can do this so early that I haven't officially tried to train her, but she's ready! And she loves panties, even Superman-style.

Adele loves "Ring Around the Rosie" and persuades the boys to play it with her daily.  She rarely walks, but prefers to run, dance, or gallop. She likes to wear her scooter helmet around the house and sometimes in the car. 

Protective helmet necessary for yoga

She is getting used to cold, rainy weather. She thinks pockets are the best thing ever, and walks like a big kid with her hood up and hands in both pockets. Sadly, she face-plants on the sidewalk more often than not, and can't catch herself. 

She wears rain boots everywhere so she can take advantage of puddles. Puddles are what keep her moving when we have to get somewhere. I just say, "Let's go find more puddles!" and she runs to the next one on our path. One day after some long weeks of rain, the sun had come out long enough to dry up the ground. Adele got out of the car and suddenly stopped on the sidewalk with a worried face. She gasped and said, "Oh no! Puddows! Puddows? Weh ahh yewww puddows??" She was so sad and confused. The girl does not remember what a dry sidewalk looks like!

 She loves playing on Snapchat.  

 And she really loves her handsome daddy.

She loves lotion, soap, chapstick, makeup, necklaces, hair ties, shoes, soft blankets, and clothes. I love it when she tells me I look "so pweddy" when my hair is down or I'm wearing a dress. She asks to paint her own nails almost every day, but she is still a super tough wrestler and surprisingly coordinated.

Sometimes when you're the little sister, you have to get your nails done whenever you can. Even if that means calmly painting them with a marker while your brother body slams you.

A little owie from running into Jude on the slide

Mommy's necklaces fit so nicely.

 I love that she always wants to help me cook and clean. Give her a butter knife or a spray bottle and she'll stay busy for twenty minutes.

She loves fire, and begs me to light candles so she can blow them out over and over. This was a little practice session on her birthday morning, so she'd be ready for birthday cake.

There is so much love inside this little girl. She gives hugs and kisses liberally, especially when anyone leaves the house. She has at least seven special stuffed animals that go in and out of her crib whenever she does. (Blue bear, bunny, elephant, mouse, puppy, baby, and pony.) It's quite the ordeal if we ever forget anyone on our way to bed. She has gibberish conversations with them in her crib at night, and reads to them in the morning until the boys or I come get her.

She's starting to talk more and is so dramatically expressive with her love and excitement. She has the biggest facial expressions ever, and it is my mission in life to capture each one of them on camera.

She wants to do everything the big kids do.  She sings along at bedtime and in the car to Taylor Swift and Adele. She dances with feeling, and I can't wait to put her in a class and a tutu.

This was a few months ago, but Matt was so excited to give her pigtails one day that he made this little picture collage to brag to his family.

Adele always asks to take pictures on my big camera. Makes me proud!

I can't get enough of this sweet girl. We are buddies for life!