She's Almost Two

If someone would ask me if I have ever cried tears of joy, I would answer "yes" and tell them the brief story of the moment my Labor Nurse told me that my second daughter had dark hair but then instructed me not to push since the Obstetrician was not yet in the room. After having my first daughter, blonde, blue-eyed and absolutely beautiful, and being told that my second daughter was going to resemble me, I sobbed with relief, anticipation, and joy. And I pushed.

Now she is almost two. She does resemble me in so many ways, and in some ways that I am reluctant, but willing to admit. She is stubborn and strong-willed, and she has a mean gaze. She is the queen of "No, I don't wanna!" She whines, she screams, and she pinches. But she has the cutest "two teeth" smile with a nose that wrinkles up. She has an adorable infectious laugh. She can give the best hugs with her small arms reaching around to my back, and she can give me the most melting kisses with her soft pink lips. No matter how we try to style her hair, it always ends up with a "fountain" right on top. She is learning her shapes and how to sing her ABC's. She likes to do puzzles. She loves to walk around in her Snow White princess shoes. She likes to ride her roller coaster backwards and her tricycle fast. She needs to have a pillow under her head with every diaper change. She calls animals not by name but by what noises they make (like a quack quack, a meow, a moo), and she loves finding "bigga bugs" anywhere she goes. And when we read books before bed, all she wants to do is hold her blankie, quietly pulling out one thread at a time.

Today when I woke her up from her nap, this is what I found with her crib mates.... they were all on top of her crib, in a row....