2 1/2 Years Old

My dad said to me the other day "can you believe that in another 2 1/2 years Bailey will be starting Kindergarden." Ahh- that hurt! These years have gone by so fast and time is only moving quicker. She will be in Kindergarden before I know it and I will be crying in my car as I watch her line up with her friends.

The story behind the dress. Bailey's dress she is wearing in these pictures is a prairie dress that was bought when I was 6 months pregnant with her. We were at the Knott's Berry Farm's christmas boutique and there were a bunch of homemade prairie dresses. My parent's had just gotten their ranch in Oregon and we were all imagining a little girl running barefoot in a prairie dress through a field. The dress looked huge and I remember thinking, "it's going to be forever until she can wear this." Well, I realized she has nearly grown out of it! It's not oregon, but my Mom and I took Bailey to Irvine Park for a picture shoot in her prairie dress.

Bailey is increasingly independent and so smart! I can't believe how much she remembers and notices in conversation or observation. She remembers things we say like, "in the morning we will go to the park" and she will be jumping in her crib bright and early chanting "park! park! park!" She also recalls memories from so long ago that it shocks me because she now puts language to memories she couldn't describe months ago! Bailey is counting to 20, saying her ABC's, recognizing words like her name, and sings throughout the day. She loves anything with a tune and will dance and began repeating the lyrics instantly. She is another dinner conversation for she talks constantly and some times my brain hurts after dinner because of all the little conversations we are all trying to have.

The most entertaining aspect of Bailey is her imagination. The past couple days she has been "Woody" from Toy Story and I have been Buzz Lightyear. A sample of our converstations:

Me- "Bailey eat your eggs please"

Bailey- "Momma, I Woody."

Me- "Oh right, Woody eat your eggs please."

Bailey- "Ok Buzz"

She will ask throughout the day, "Momma, what you be?" I then choose a character to be and then she will approve or not. Jaemus has been Gus Gus mostly and Frani either Bulls Eye or 'the new puppy!' Daddy is either Buzz or Prince that must kiss her to wake her up.

Sleeping Beauty has been her favorite princess lately. She sings the song, "I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream..." and will dance with her toys or one of us. She actually started singing that song loud and clear in the middle of Ryan and Brie's wedding ceremony- it was pretty darn cute.

Bailey is entering the "why" phase of her life. But she prefers to say, "what that momma? or how that do momma?" Every where we go or any book she is looking at at home Bailey is full of questions. I find it a fun and creative challenge for me to try and explain electricity or where the water goes when it goes down the drain.

Bailey continues to be cuddly and endearing which Brandon and I can't get enough of. She loves "baby" everything and wants to eat "baby bites" of her food, carry around her "baby" animal critter toys, loves "baby" animals, and Jaemus is alway "baby" or "baby JJ." She gets in snugly moods in the day and will grab my hand and say "come momma, come cuddle on couch." Bailey also melts my heart when she comes to me randomly looks me in the eye and will rub my face and say, "I love you so much Momma." She kills me! I can see now when kids are graduating High School parent's are in the bleachers picturing their children as two year olds wondering where the years went and how much they wouldn't give for another day with them at the age of 2. Brandon and I will sometimes say, "this will be the moment I recall in 16 years."

Ok- I have done two updates on my little ones and feel emotional now as I sit here surprised in how fast Bailey and Jaemus are growing. Brandon and I love our season of life right now with our little snugly happy baby and our independent playful little girl.