My baby two-year-old!

I'm sorry, but I still have to refer to this girl as my baby, even though she is turning TWO! Not just because she's the youngest, but because she has become frozen in my mind as a little one year old who is never supposed to grow older! I look at her and I still see all those familiar traces of her baby features, but they are quickly disappearing and I'm not ready for that! So, I declare, Miss Avery Ryenne, you are still my BABY -- and you always will be!!

So, today is Avery's big second birthday! Happy Birthday, my sweet! Such bitter sweet memories we make as our children grow and change and conquer life! I always say, "If I could only freeze time, I would freeze right now" because I always just love each phase! It has been no different with Aves! I am so totally head-over-heels-smitten-in-love with every single thing about her right now! I want to always remember this 2 year old version of this precious girl! From her adorable little lisp, to her still baby-rolly thighs, to her wild, wild, WILD untamed curls...it just doesn't get any better than her! Every ounce of her!

 Her nicknames are Avie, Aves, Avie-girl, and Boo.

We just had her well check and her stats are:

Almost 26 lbs. -- 38th percentile

35" long -- 82nd percentile

Long and lean seems to be how we make 'em around here! And most importantly, she is healthy as can be! A blessing that I never take for granted!

Some things I want to remember about our girl...although, a lot of them are things that you have to be present to really get them or feel them or love them about her. Those are the hard ones to write, but I'll try!

I absolutely LOVE the way she talks! And she talks so well and so much! She has become so easy to understand and is constantly jabbering about something! She has the softest, sweetest little voice, which melts me! And then there is the other side of her -- the WILD side! The side that screams louder than any of our other kids ever did, that is not shy about letting you know her feelings, that is taking no crap from anyone, especially her sisters! Ohhhh that side is both hilarious and tempts you to rip your hair out just a bit! Just kidding! But she does have that streak that you better watch out for!

Some of my favorite things that she says right now:

When we ask if she pooped, "Nope, I ded-int!"

When she accomplishes something that she is really excited about, "I DED IT!"

"Issss you, dada!" (when talking on the phone and she's missing her daddy at work)

Every single morning when I go to get her out of her crib, "I drop it" (pointing to her sippy cup that she has thrown over the side the night before).

"Piss it, mama. Piss da bum-bum." Yikes! ("Fix it, mama. Fix the bum-bum." -- when she wants me to put Mr. Potato-Head's bum back on)

"I poot" -- I pooped!

"Uhh you" -- Love you!

"Tay-wer" and "Ka-Ka" (Taylor and Kaiya)

"Hop, too hod" -- ("help, too hard", when she can't do something on her own and she wants help.)

 "Coot, mommy" -- "scoot, mommy"

"Top it, Ka" -- "stop it, Kai"

 Some of her best antics and favorite things:

 --She LOVES her sisters. I mean, adores them beyond belief! And they think she is pretty hilarious! She will not let them push her around, no way. But she follows them and imitates them and wants to be just like them. It's precious to watch their interactions and to see how Avery has added such a beautiful element to their relationships and dynamics. I so hope these three will always be close and special friends. 

  --She LOVES to play hide n seek or peek-a-boo. And the best part is that she thinks that if she closes her eyes as tight as she can and she can't see you, that you can't see her either! It's her best hiding trick!

--She LOVES dressing up. She is seldom found without sunglasses on or carrying a purse around her neck. And if there is a hat in sight?! Forget about it -- it's hers! Even if it's on your head! She loves to wear anyone else's shoes but her own, especially shoes that make loud noises when she walks. She loves to wear crowns and dresses and drape items of clothing or scarves on top of her head!

 --She loves animals so much and is almost always found carrying at least two of her collection around with her wherever she goes -- usually the lion and the tiger, because she loves to ROAR!

--She is obsessed with Mickey Mouse. She calls him "Kickey". She takes her stuffed friend with her everywhere, including to bed at night where she snuggles him soooo tightly!

--She is an incredible little singer. No joke! We bought her this little kareoke microphone thing for Christmas and she carries it around everywhere singing all her favorite songs. She loves to sing "I Am a Child of God" before bed at night and usually sings the loudest! I think she's got quite a little musical bone and is so totally drawn to anything musical!

-- If she can sing, then she can REALLY dance! This girl knows how to get down! She has the funniest, cutest little booty shake that can't be beat! She sticks her arms back like a skier would and then shakes the tushy wildly! It is seriously the funniest thing ever! She also loves to spin in circles until she falls down or runs into something! Another of her best dance moves!

--She is so snuggly right now! She doesn't give long snuggles, but is always happy to oblige you getting your fill! I love it! Mornings are my favorite, when she is in no hurry to get anywhere. She will just lay her head on my shoulder with her arms around me and never try to break away or get down. Sometimes we'll sit down together, all snuggled up and just rock for a few minutes. It's the BEST part of my mornings! And her cheeks, oh my goodness! They are the softest, most kissable, fluffy things you've ever felt! I literally cannot stop kissing her. It's an addiction that I don't plan on breaking any time soon, so I hope she's ok with that!

--She has so much personality! She loves to make people laugh and when she sees that she's got you giggling, she'll turn on the most fake, cheesy, funny laugh of her own. It's hilarious! 

 --She loves to make her barbies and baby dolls dance, either with her or with each other. It's so sweet!

--Foods -- well, she is NOT a great eater, never has been. Won't touch fruits or veggies with a 10 foot poll, but we keep trying! Loves yogurt, cheese, bread, cereal, chicken, hot dogs, occasionally carrots, and Goldfish.

-- The BEST sleeper, thank goodness! Goes to bed at 8:30, sleeps without a peep until 9:30, plus a 3 hour nap in the afternoon. Thank you, Avery, thank you!

 --I get stopped literally everywhere we go for people to comment on her hair and fulfill their urge to pet her. Seriously, it's crazy! Every single time we leave the house, especially with TWO red-heads in tow, we get stopped. Sometimes we even get asked where the red hair comes from. Um, really?!? This includes the same lady I see almost every week while I'm grocery shopping who stops to tell me that she LOVES Avery's hair and that she wanted a red head so bad that when her daughter was born, she went and died her hair. I still have yet to figure out if she's being serious. I pray that she's not. But I suspect she just might be telling the truth! I DO love Avery's auburn, totally different color hair. It is unique and so beautiful! It is WILD, but has the cutest little curl to it. And the craziest cowlicks ever! Oh boy!

So, there are some things to remember about our girl at two.  She's got a mouth full of teeth, an adorable dimple, curious eyes and the most beautiful, full lips that scream to be kissed. She is petite, but makes up for that with the roars and screams that come out of that little body! She is passionate, and a total ham who loves to make her family laugh! She is so full of personality, and is a true spicy-sweet child! There is no voice that can be as soft and high and precious as hers, while also as loud and as "watch-out" as hers either! I can honestly say that I could sit and watch her all day long and never, ever get bored. And when I get the chance, that's exactly what I love to do most. She is such a fun and perfect addition to our family and I am grateful every single day that she is here with us to make us smile and keep life always interesting and exciting!

Avie-girl, we could not love you one single ounce more! You are the cutest thing around and you have our hearts all wrapped up in YOU! Please stay just the way you are forever, because you are our precious baby girl! Happy birthday, sweets! We love you so much!!

  (I couldn't resist doing a little photo shoot with my birthday girl -- thankfully, she was a willing participant this time around!)