Two and a half

Autumn, a few days ago you turned two and a half. This year is absolutely flying by! September seems like a short month or 2 ago, but now we are half way to the next September. Although the physical changes have slowed, you continue to amaze us with your growing thoughts and independence.

Activities: The last few months have been fairly slow. We did start going to our new church, Kona Bible Church in February. You enjoy nursery with baby Calvin. We've taken a few walks on Wailua with Bekah and Calvin, spent a couple of weekend evenings at Pine Trees with friends, discovered a new to us beach Mahaiula's with some other friends and went to the Cherry and Avocado festivals. We've done quite a bit of relaxing and resting as well.

Interests: You've really started to show an interest in helping in the kitchen and with the laundry. You are able to help with simple things and even put your toast in the toaster oven and get it started. You help me knead bread, mix cookies, spin lettuce and anything else that isn't dangerous. You help sort laundry, put it in the washer and dryer and even try to help with folding and putting away. You are able to fold a wash cloth quite nicely.
You still love your babies and enjoy changing, feeding and caring for them. You have a constant dialog going with them or the little people as you play. You also enjoy active ball play, trying to hula dance, coloring and puzzles. You've gotten quite good at the puzzles you currently do and now goof around purposely doing them wrong and then asking, "am I being funny." You do silly things with the pieces, hide them in silly places and giggle up a storm. You did to your 12 piece bordered jigsaw on your own the other day and got a good start on the 24 piece butterfly puzzle before asking for help.
You enjoy the beach, but have been spending more time with the digging toys on the beach than in the water lately. This morning at the Keiki ponds you did float around in your tube and try to kick and scoop to propel yourself around. One day we took you out on the surfboard to ride little waves in, but you've had no interest since then. I can't wait until you can wear a mask and enjoy seeing what is under there, can't be too long until you are ready.
Lately your drama at home with us revolves around your room being a hotel. You have us lay down, get up, clean up, feed us, picnic with us - but we are at your hotel. Sometimes the hotel is in Thailand, sometimes Colorado and sometimes - it is just a hotel. You will go out to the shopping center, go to work at the Pregnancy Center and go to school while we rest at the hotel.
The last few weeks you get so excited when the trash truck arrives! You shout and ask to get to a place you can watch. Many times it is as we are walking down to the car and you stare in amazement. You have informed me several times that "when I get older I will drive a trash truck." (-:

Conversations: The complexity and depth of your conversations grows every week. You ask good questions and make fun inferences. This morning as we walked down the stairs you said, "my legs feel like they are going to break, I need to do my push ups tonight." You say fun and funny things all the time! Yesterday you saw balloons on cars and asked who's birthday it was. I tried to explain that it is just the car people trying to sell cars, but we saw more and you informed that they were for someones birthday.

Memory: I think your memory is better than mine of late. If I want to remember someone I met's name, I'd be better off telling you! We met some of Daddy's college friends month ago and about a week after that I was talking about them and you said "you mean Kristen and Paul?" I'd heard their names many more times and couldn't remember. You know who goes with who and if you see one of them without the other, you always ask where "___" is? You remember things we did ages ago, ask about friends we haven't seen in a while and remember when we offer to take you to the park, pool or beach.

Big Sister! You found out on Valentines that you are going to be a big sister! You very much understand that there is a baby in mommy's belly and even ask to give the baby goobers in the mornings on occasion (though my belly of course). The day you found out we talked about how you can help me by bringing the baby their binki (pacifier) and so you talk about that as well. You also brought a few treasured toys out of your room and informed us that those ones would not be for the baby. (-: We can't wait to see you grow into a loving and tender sister! The other night you guessed that you are having a baby brother - we shall find out!!!

Autumn, so are so in love with you! You are such a precious girl with big dreams and potential! God has so much in store for you - we are having so much fun watching you grow and develop into a wonderful little person!!!

Big hugs and kisses,
Mommy and Daddy