Aubree, a note for you...

Dear Aubree,
Wow! You're almost 2! It's hard to believe how fast time has flown. I just wanted you to know some things you were doing by your second birthday. You've been cracking us up lately with you new little sentences. Yesterday, while I was trying to get you ready for a nap, you said "Mommy, I hear a goose." The funny thing is, we could hear a goose honking. I didn't even know that you were certain what a goose was, let alone what one sounded like! (You also keep an eye out for robins and ducks. You might be into bird-watching someday.)

You love talking about your colors, shapes and animals. Other than some confusion over pink and purple, you've pretty much got the colors figured out. Sometimes in the car or when we're at the store, you tell us what shapes you see, and we have to guess what you're actually looking at. For example, the other day at Kroger, you were excitedly saying, "I see a rectangle!" It turns out we were supposed to know that the rectangle was a box of crackers. Around Christmas, you stopped in the middle of Kohl's and didn't want to leave the spot until we figured out and acknowledged that the circle you were so thrilled about was just the head of a bolt on a display rack.

Your preferences are always REALLY clear. You tell us exactly what you want to eat (fruit snacks) and exactly what you don't want-- anything that's not fruit snacks. Actually, you'll eat most anything that has a little ketchup on it. You also love crunching on a big dill pickle spear. What a mess! You'll have juice up to your elbows. Sometimes you also ask for a "'deeyah" (a quesadilla). Lately you've been getting a little carried away in that you even tell us which bowl, plate or fork you want to use. You also have a tendency to get a bit upset when you don't get what you want. I think you get that from your daddy. ;-)

As far as your hobbies go, you're happy bringing us as many books as we will read to you. Your favorites are your Sesame Street books and your caterpillar book and "Elmo Loves You." You finish our sentences for us when we read it. I say "Kids love.." and you shout "Bubble gum!" You love going outside and playing on the swingset. You're also crazy about singing and can do all the actions to "The Wheels on the Bus," "Itsy-bitsy Spider," and "You are my Sunshine." You're learning actions to "I'm in the Lord's Army." You like to zoom like the plane and say "Yes, sir" while you salute. It's adorable. Yesterday morning I was listening to you through the monitor in our room, and I heard a thump (you climbing out of your bed) and then I heard you declare to yourself, "Music. I need music!" I went in and you were standing in front of your CD player poking buttons and trying to make something happen.

You just started to sleep in your "big girl" bed. You have made it a week so far. It's a queen, and you look super tiny in it, but we're all adjusting. It might have been harder on me than on you. The first couple of nights you were sad to be out of your crib. Daddy stayed upstairs with you until you fell asleep. You have both of us totally wrapped around your little pinching fingers. (Do you know that you've been pinching our knuckles since the first day you were born? Ouch!)

I just wanted to keep track of some of these things for you. We love you very much! You're our smart, funny little girl. We love your spontaneous big hugs and kisses because you always really seem to mean them. You're going to be a big sister soon, and I want to make sure we remember your milestones and don't get them mixed up with your baby sister's. :-) Happy almost two-year birthday, Aubree Rose.
Love,
Mommy