Happy Birthday, Ellie Joy!

Dear Ellie,

Today you are two years old! What a wonderful part of the family you are; you bring such joy, humor, and enthusiasm to our little nest. It's such a delight to watch you get excited or laugh at a joke you got. You are tons of fun, and we are so grateful for our joyful Ellie!

You are very verbal, which perhaps means you are big on auditory learning. You've been speaking in complete sentences for a while now, and it's quite entertaining to hear the complex thoughts that come from you. Sometimes what you say is just a mimic of something that Katie just said. Sometimes you mimic Daddy or me. Yesterday in the car, you heard me say, "Katie, I can't right now," in reference to Katie wanting me to turn around in my seat to look at what she was holding. So, Katie asked you to look, and you came back with, "Katie, I can't right now."

You LOVE to be held and cuddled, even in your toddling independence. Your after-meal choice of activity is pretty predictable. You get down, run to find your blankie, come back to the table, and ask to get up in a lap. Once you are up, you cuddle in with your blanket balled up against your face and your thumb in your mouth. I love these cuddle times. Sometimes you add, "I love you, Mama."

Some of your favorite activities right now include playing shopping, coloring, watching Curious George (you don't get to do this as often as you ask), or anything Katie shows you. You are pretty cooperative to go along with her games. You love your big sister very much. It really shows when you get up from nap. You seem to miss her, and are so excited when she gets up a while later. You give her hugs and cuddles and say, "Hi, Katie!" in an enthusiastic way.

When we tell you that it's time to pray, you scrunch your eyes closed very tightly, like it's so hard not to peak. We get a kick out of this.

Some recent things you've said:

-While in the grocery store, observing some kids disobeying their mother: "Come on, come on kids (while gesturing with your hand). Obey your mudder. Obey her!" (thankfully, they were out of ear shot by the time you said this)

-When I said "no" to your question, you followed up with "not yet."

-While changing your diaper, you screamed, just for fun. Before I could scold you, your face changed to a serious expression and you said in a stern voice, "No screaming, girls!"

-In reference to a stuffed owl at Grandpa and Grandma's house: "Mommy, please hold my hoot."

-"Piglet's in my diaper, Mama." (We have a little toy Piglet figurine; he wasn't in your diaper, so I am not sure about this comment???)


You love to sing, Ellie. It's delightful to listen to you join Katie in her songs, or see what you make up on your own. Here is one that I wrote down about a month ago:
Bella...forever
God...forever
God...special
Colson...special

We love you, sweet Ellie! Happy birthday to you!