only 2 for a minute

Today I started out my usual Saturday routine of laundry, sweeping floors and picking up toys when I looked over at Evie quietly looking at her books and then I looked out of the window and saw the sun shining, I quickly said "forget this!" I got us both dressed and her, daddy and I went to the Florissant Valley of Flowers festivities. We walked around the craft fair, watched jugglers and clowns, listened to a band play silly kid songs and watched a ventriloquist act-Evie had a very serious look on her face and watched very intently-still not sure if she was scared or just really into it-maybe a little of both. We then went to Steak-n-Shake for lunch and then home for nap time (for Evie) and sit outside and flip through magazine time (for mama) The little one only napped for an hour-I think she instinctively knew that napping inside was a waste of a perfectly gorgeous day. When she woke up we played outside with her little cars, rolling them off the porch and into the flowerbed-it does not take much to excite her. I love seeing things through her eyes-she notices every little bug and stick. She sees things so differently then I as an adult do. For instance, the welcome mat on my porch has a design in it that I have never really paid much attention to, she looked at it and pointed to a spot and said plane, and sure enough at second glance it did look like a plane! We then took Arnie for a walk I let her hold the very end of the leash, and let her "help" me walk him, although I had the mid potion of the leash and was keeping him from pulling she was so proud to be "walking the dog". And the bonus- by her holding onto the leash it kept her from running off which is always a good thing. When we got home it cracked me up that the first thing she told dada about was that "Arnie pooped on the ground" She was so bothered that he just did his business right there and then to make matters worse mama picked it up with a little plastic bag-which when you think about it, to a two year old that would be quite disturbing. We played outside some more and then I cooked dinner on the grill and we ate outside. I just could not get enough of this weather. And I could not get enough of my little girl! She is so funny and smart. I am so glad that I put away my chore list and spent the day with my little girl, because chores will always be there but my little girl will only be two for a minute.

And since she will only be this small for a short time I want to share some funny/sweet things she says and does so that I will not forget!

-her ball was rolling away the other day and she set it on the ground, pointed her little finger at it and told it very sternly "you stay right there"

-the dog was barking in the kitchen while we were in the bedroom so Evie ran down the hall and asked "Arnie, why you barking? need to go potty?"

-I bought her a new bedspread for her big girl bed and while it was still in the package I showed it to her and she wrapped her arms around it and said "ohh I like it" and she wanted to take it with her to daycare. Then when I finished hanging pictures and curtains in her new "big girl room" she told me "ohh I love it mama, thank you"

-she says "please" "thank you" and "you are welcome" -most of the time on her own and it makes this mama proud

- one night I heard her saying "thank you Jesus for mama and dada and house and food" while she was laying in bed.

-she sings her "abc's" and "Jesus loves me" and she counts (with some help) to 10-although she has some struggles with colors and likes to call every color pink-what can I say, she is a girl, or if I ask "what color is that" she just repeats the question back to me if she is not sure of the answer-it cracks me up!

-I love how she is showing emotions like pride like when she helps feed the dog or when I walked into her daycare class for her mother's day party she just beamed-it seriously melts my heart.

-although, at some point this may get old, right now it is so sweet when she is always asking questions "what's that mama?" "what are you doing dada?" "where is Arnie" she is so curious and just wants to know what is going on around her and I am the luckiest mama in the world to be able to teach her all these things.

I could go on and on but for now,on the the day before mother's day, I will just leave this one message to my sweet Evie-bear. I love you so much and I am so proud to be your mama, everything you do amazes me. God picked you out special for me and entrusted me to be the mama that raises you and while I may not be perfect I will always try to do my best and you will always be my sweet baby girl. And although you may not understand how much this mama loves you, one day when you are looking down at your own sweet babies, then my dear, you know.