DEAR EVERLEIGH, 2.5

Your first flower girl experience in Auntie Heather's New Year's wedding. Posing with cousin Remi.

So...I fell off the blogger map and used the time away to think about why I blog and why I don't sometimes. I've decided that I miss it and I really enjoy capturing Evie's development and our early family years together in such a vivid in-the-now format. I just don't really like when keeping up with the blog starts to feel like an unpaid job, or like I'm frantically taking pictures of a moment instead of being in the moment so I can make it all sync up with a post, etc. In short, I've enjoyed my brief hiatus and I am back.

Dear Everleigh,

I am late writing this post, but you recently turned two and a half years old. Bonkers, yes, I know. Here's what you're into right now:

Everleigh's Cafe: you got a tea party table and mini china tea set for Christmas, and it's quickly become one of your favorite things. You decided to put the table near your play kitchen, and named it "Everleigh's Cafe". The menu primarily consists of tea, water, and muffins, but it still draws a huge doll crowd :)

Being a Big Girl: you started potty training for real around September '12, and quickly graduated to big girl panties. Since then, you have been 100% about all things Big Girl. If pooping in the potty means you're a big girl, you'll do it. If finishing your carrots is the big girl thing to do, consider it done. You ARE a big girl now!

Eating like a football player: girl, you must be growing because lately you have been putting food away like there's no tomorrow. We try to lean heavily on you to eat healthy foods, especially when you're extra hungry. And you like to eat all kinds of things--blueberries, bananas, chicken, "leafs" (your name for salad), green beans, carrots, chicky nuggies, yogurt,  apples, oatmeal, cereal, etc. You also love all kinds of unhealthy snacks and treats--ice cream, cookies, fruit snacks--and you've pretty much nailed down who you can play exactly the right way to get them to give you treats.

Catch that Naked Baby: CTNB is your absolute favorite game right now. You love to strip down when we're not looking and take off running, calling out "Mommy, Daddy, say 'catch that naked baby' and chase me!". You've even taken to sneaking out of the bath if we step out for a minute and jumping naked on our bed. When you've had enough of being chilly, you deman a "Snuggle Bed", which is Daddy's creation for you that involved piling all the blankets on the bed on top of you and leaving just your face out, Eskimo-style.

Puffy AmiYumi: the apple does not fall far from the tree, my dear. You've decided you really like the strange Japanese cartoon about this 2-piece Japanese girl band called Puffy AmiYumi. It's weird and fun and full of girl rocking out, and I think it's adorable that you won't watch a Disney movie for than 5 minutes but you love this show.

Talking like a Pro: you are talker if I've ever met one. Lately, you've really been into making up words and names. One day you named the act of sliding off the couch belly-first as "Sprouking". You named your Christmas Dream Lights Unicorn "Bucco DiBeppo" (after going to that Italian restaurant once with us) and your puppy (which was given to you by your cousin) "Store Puppy". Why? We will never know. But keep it coming. You've also started using words in interesting ways, like telling me "Stop, stop! my light is red now!" or, in a less proud moment, stating "What the heck?!" when you noticed your bike was in the spare bedroom.

You tough-guy, too-cool-for-Santa pose

School Girl: you started attending a lovely little Montessori school part time in August, and it's been a really healthy transition for you. There are days where you still don't want to go, and wish you were having "a Mommy day" or "a Daddy day", but all in all you like your school. Your teachers are awesome, and every time we drop you off, a small group of kids runs up to hug you (you seem very popular, even though you always play it off and act too cool for school). Pretty soon, you'll be moving up to the Big Kid Class (AKA full-on Montessori curriculum) which I think you will really love--lots of personal freedom and room for exploration.

Healer: you always want to make people feel better when they are sad or hurt or sick. Sometimes the way you go about doing this is strange and/or ineffective, but it's very entertaining. You often say, "I'll make you better" and then pat the other person on the arm or nuzzle them or jump on their belly as hard as you can. But you know what? After having your belly jumped on by a 2 year old, you're rarely still thinking about your cold. So...it works.

Refusing to engage in a normal smiling-type photo

Painter: you got a pimped out art desk for Christmas from Mommy and Daddy, which you aptly named your studio. You love painting and often paint several pictures a day with your watercolor set.

You are, as always, my sweetheart, my lovie, the primary source of my joy and occasional source of my migraine headaches. But you know what? So far so good. The terrible twos have not been so terrible. You have an amazing sensitivity and the heart of a partier, so it's always fun to wake up to you. I love you sooooo much, little one.

Love,

Mommy