Two

As of 10:52 mountain time, our sweet baby girl is now two.

Two years.  Seven hundred thirty days.

What an amazing two years of growth and love it has been.  My life forever changed the day I found out I was pregnant with Ruby, but I never could have predicted the impact a tiny human being would have on my emotions.

20 pounds and 13 inches later...

At two years old (I'm just going to be honest-I sort of just want to call it 24 months because it still sounds nice and...babyish).  Ruby is talking in short sentences, giving everything around her a name - usually the correct one, eating noodles, grapes, ham, cheese, crackers, and dates the most.  One of her favorite phrases these days is a deep-voice version of I needa eat. 

She loves on her baby sibling daily.  She devours books, knows most animal sounds you throw her way,  several colors, and how to count to three (with a six thrown in after some other mumbles).  She loves baths where she makes Ernie and Elmo jump off the side of the tub, she loves to color with a red sharpie all over her body, she has a special place in her heart for Elmo and the Sesame Street Gang.

She's a girl after my own heart and is my sweet apprentice baker for the time being.  She's a fairly good taste tester too.  She has followed in my footsteps with the love for milk.  She hasn't liked regular milk since we first tried just shy of a year ago.  Lets face it, what good are cookies without milk?  She's a pro with manners, she loves to listen to her Selah CD and will sing along in the most precious little voice.

She loves kisses and hugs and "nose" kisses.  She's the best baby doll momma, asking to get baby dressed and wrapping her in a blanket before putting her to bed complete with kisses and hugs.

She loves dress up, she loves raiding her Papa's candy drawer at work, and she loves her Ama's cookies.  She can eat popcorn like nobody else I have ever seen.  And for being two, she certainly follows directions and rules remarkably well (please don't make me eat my words in the near future...or at all).

Favorite Ruby phrases:

Excuse a me (in her best French accent)

What are you doing, Mama?

Where are you?

Where'd Daddy go?

Yep

    

Aww, you're cute.

Pyooeee.

Shoo Flies.

I can't remember life before her.  Ruby is our entire world with her joyous outlook on life.  She is always happy; she can light up a room with her sparkly eyes and beautiful smile.  She loves learning, she loves to snuggle, and she loves to love.  What a perfect combination.  It's been an unbelievable two years full of more happiness and love than I can even express.

Love like no other is being a mother - we are so incredibly blessed to know this precious girl.

I think it's safe to say she's pretty excited about being two - ask her how old she is and she'll toss up any random assortment of fingers with the cutest exclamation of TWO!


But I think she may be more excited about eating cake and her party where she gets to wear her tutu - something she has not stopped talking about for the last two weeks.

Happy Birthday, Ruby Elliana.  We love you so much!