Eleanor, 2.5

At 2-and-a-half (the halves are very important to Avery), Eleanor is just a bundle of fun. Some things I don't want to forget.

• Her vocabulary exploded around Christmas, later than it did with Avery, but when she finally started talking, she skipped right over the single words and jumped into phrases and sentences. She has always been an observer, and this side of her proved true again in regards to speech.
• Some of her words and phrases that make me laugh (and that I secretly hope never change): 
• chepah (ketchup): And, if you ask her if she wants "chepah", she will respond with, "No, Mommy, say chepah." Ok, would you like ketchup? Yes.
• "Me, three!" (as in, "Me, too!")
• But "I love you, too" is accurate, as opposed to "I love you, three."
• "Oh, great!" to just about anything
• She transitioned into her big girl bed about 2 weeks ago, which is also in Avery's room. She still naps in her crib in the nursery, but she sleeps every night with Avery. The transition was SO easy. We tried it once while my MIL was here out of necessity due to painting in the nursery, and it was a nightmare. But a week later, she asked to sleep in there, and we haven't looked back.

• In the mornings, she waits in her room (most days) until their clock turns green, and then she comes tearing out of her room at break-neck speed yelling "Is gween! Is gween!" And she'll drag one of us out of bed and down the hall to look (usually Luke). 
• One morning we were greeted with our door slamming open and the big light turned on. Talk about a wake-up call. Avery was much kinder to us at this age. 
• She likes to pat our backs and say "My mommy" or "My daddy"
• She and Avery are best friends. This makes me so unbelievably happy.

Sleepover on the floor of their room

• She falls asleep with her books and her babies and animals all around her, just like Avery did/does.
• We weaned her off the pacifier almost two weeks ago. A rough transition at first, but it's officially gone, and napping has mostly returned. Night-time without paci was easier to deal with than naps without it, and some days I end up rocking her during the entire nap. My mom asked why I don't lay her down after she falls asleep, and then she started laughing before I could even say anything - yes, it's because I can't get close enough to the crib to lay her down gently. I would essentially have to drop her in the bed. My belly - it's just too big!

Getting ready to send the pacis to the Paci Fairy (Boppy Fairy, as she called her)

• She is very devoted to her baby doll, and she will put her down for naps in the oddest of places, usually singing "Jesus Loves Me" to her. 
• She also tucked me in with her favorite blanket, sang "Jesus Loves Me" to me, and told me to close my eyes and go to sleep. Sweet little thing. 
• She is active active active. This child is rarely still. 
• She asks me almost every day, very very quietly, if we can go to Chick-fil-a. One day I gave in and treated her to breakfast after we dropped Avery off at school.

• She adores puzzles and will do the same one over and over again, a dozen times in a row. She also likes for us to sit and affirm her while she's doing them, even though she needs zero help with them.
• She is quite witty, a skill that surprises us for her age. 
• She tells me that she's ready for the baby to come out of my belly, and she'll lift my shirt up to see if anything is happening, and when she sees that nothing is changing, she tells me, "Not working!"
• She is becoming more insistent on doing things herself: buckling her carseat (she also taught herself how to unbuckle the chest strap, while I was driving, which involved a fast pull onto a side street and a stern talk); getting dressed; picking out clothes (definite opinion on pjs, but not as much on daytime clothes); doing the buttons on her clothes; putting on her shoes (almost always on the wrong feet, while Avery almost always got them right, even from the beginning); opening her yogurt cup....

Flannel pjs over fleece footie pjs. Can't even imagine how hot she must have been.

• She loves blue lollipops, which she receives after my doctor appointments. She also always remembers to get one for Avery.
• She just started saying "please" in the most adorable manner - clasping her hands tightly together, squinting her eyes, and practically begging. No idea where she learned this, but it's too funny.
• "Mommy" has become shortened to "Mom". This makes me sad.
• Almost zero interest in potty training, but she adores the Elmo panties we got her and wears them over her pants.

We love you precious girl!!