Gianna's 2 Years Old!

This past Saturday we had a little family gathering to celebrate Gianna's 2nd Birthday!! I can't believe she's already 2! I looked back to see what I had written on this blog for her 1st Birthday, and my, how she's grown since then! My favorite "transformation" has been the communication skills she's acquired; the cute pronunciations of her many words are so sweet. Even though she's grown so much over this past year, she still knows how to melt my heart. It's an ability she's had since the moment of her existence.

Gianna at 2 Years Old:

• Is in the 92 percentile for height (taller than 9 out of 10 girls her age) and the 28 percentile for weight. Long and lean-- I wonder where she gets that from?!

• Sleeps from about 8pm-8am and takes about a 2 hour nap each day.
• Loves to play with others and always seems to want someone else to "do it" too.
• Has recently grown very fond of her baby doll Sophie; Sophie has eaten a few meals with her and sleeps with her in her crib.
• Also likes to sleep with her fishy blanket and her stuffed bunny, Jellybean.
• Likes to color, but she often has to be reminded to draw "only on paper."
• Loves to push her baby stroller and take her dolls on walks.
• When mom leaves the house with her purse, she often has to take one with her too.
• Talks very well; uses a lot of 2 word phrases, sometimes 3.
• If she wants mom to hold her, she often says "Hold Mama!"
• Likes to try and sing songs- loves to squish the bee in the Bumble Bee Song.
• Loves to "drive" the car.
• Is usually shy around unfamiliar faces, but once she warms up to them she is very talkative.
• For words she adds an "ing" to, she also seems to add an "en" sound to as well. For example, "go biking" is often said as "go bikening."
• Gets easily frustrated when she can't do something right away.
• Loves shoes, especially tappy ones and mom's shoes.
• Loves to play outside (on the swings, with rocks, with dirt)
• Has a chipped tooth (she chipped it when she fell on the sidewalk when she was about 21 months old)
• Always nods her head "yes" when she asks you to "please come" (this is her strategy I suppose: when you ask someone to come, give them their answer as well, this way they will come almost every time you ask;)
• When you tell her to be quieter and say "shhh" with your finger, she always finds it necessary to let out a little scream. She especially likes to do this in church.
• Loves to dance, stomp, and clap.
• Starting to eat with a fork. Always wants one at meals and is getting better at using it.
• Can drink from an open cup and knows she has to "drink slowly." Still has a few spills here and there.
• Shows signs of being ready to potty train. (We'll see once we start trying!)
• Loves her family!
• Knows she has to hold someone's hand when she walks in stores and usually does this quite well, but every once in a while, she just can't help but let go and bolt away!
• Knows streets are "danger" and has to hold a hand.
• Is learning her ABC's, 123's and colors. Still likes to say them in random orders. "1,2,3,5,9,10!" "A,B,C,G,H" Colors are usually, pink, yellow, or green.
• Loves to read books and look at pictures.
• Is usually uninterested in watching TV. If it's on, she almost never watches it for more than a few minutes. Does like to watch Calliou before her nap though.
• Cries pretty easily, and if she has an "ouchie" she usually wants you to "kiss it." Sometimes she'll ask for a band aid too.

Still has her trademark smile-- it's the cutest little gaped tooth grin in the world:)

Happy 2nd Birthday Gianna Marie!