Lena Joyce: Two Years Old!

Our baby is a bright eyed, fast talking, high energy, fun-loving two year old toddler!  She amuses us daily over the things she says and does and I just can't believe how quickly things are changing.

Happy Lena

• She knows some shapes (square, circle, and star) and is really starting to enjoy doing puzzles.

Whenever Timmy Time comes on this is the face she makes.

• Her favorite TV shows are Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Timmy Time, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Kipper, Minnie Mouse Bowtique, and her Baby Signing Times DVDs.  What is really fun is that she is beginning to sing along to the music in her favorite shows.  She will ask for a show by saying, "Wannawatchashow?" which she clearly learned from us.  

Sad Lena

• She has become more of a drama queen these days.  When she doesn't get her way she will cry, "Oh No! Oh, no!" and then fall to the floor and burst into tears.  

Fun with cousin Abby or "Aboo" as Lena calls her.

• She is a great imitator!  We laugh all the time when she repeats things she has heard.  The other day our dog (who has developed a barking problem) was barking away and Lena stopped what she was doing to walk over to the slider door, banged on it, and yelled in an authoritative voice, "No!  Daddy says no!"  

Lena riding the train for the first time to San Juan Capistrano.

• She speaks in phrases now.  Some of her more frequent ones are: "They'll be back" which is how she comforts herself when Daddy or Mommy have to leave, "I'm stuck!" which she says whenever she can't climb down from the bed or in other precarious situations. The other day she kept repeating "I'm stuck, I'm stuck!" I couldn't figure out what was stuck until I held her and realized she had stuffed a bunch of blocks down her footie pjs and they were all stuck inside the legs.  Ha! She also likes to declare what things are like "It's a cow!" or "It's a kitty!"

Lena's newest favorite is drawing with chalk.

She really loves to draw!

Daddy is great at playing with Lena.  She loves it when he draws Mickey Mouse!

• Some of her favorite activities are getting into my kitchen cabinets and stacking things (cups, boxes of foil and plastic wrap, bowls, etc), coloring (chalk outside, crayons and pencil on paper, etc), petting our kitties and feeding them treats, playing outdoors- she often will declare "Let's go!" and then pulls you along.

Always climbing..everything...everywhere!

• We are so glad that Lena has finally started to try some new foods as she has been an extremely picky eater thus far.  Lately she has tried and liked broccoli, roasted carrots and squash, cauliflower rice, scrambled eggs, and almond butter but her go to favorites are still chicken, pizza, yogurt, fish crackers, cheese, spaghetti, and pancakes.  I still can't get her to eat fruit!

She LOVES brushing her teeth or "sheeth" as she calls them.  Lately she loves look at herself in the mirror.

• Her two year stats are: size 7 shoes, size 24 months or 2T clothes, 24 pounds, 33 inches tall, and size 4 diapers.  Lena is now in the 50th percentile for both height and weight!

Petting a baby chick at the Corona Pumpkin Farm 

Spotting fish in the tank at the Long Beach Aquarium

• Forget dolls!  Lena is a big fan of any and all animals (especially elephants, dogs, cats, and cows), trains ("choos"), airplanes ("naenains"), and trucks.  For fun we go to the pet store to look at fish and the other animals there or play in the park and spot airplanes that fly over.  

Happy Birthday precious girl!  You are such a joy to everyone you meet.  Nobody I know can turn strangers into friends as fast as you.  You never discriminate with your kindness and your tender, "Hi!"s.  You have a smile and inner warmth that can melt the most seemingly hard and closed off people.  God has certainly blessed you with a strong and yet sweet spirit and thus we are blessed as well.