2 and 1/2 Years Old!

Today my sweet little miracles are 2 and 1/2 years old. I do not know where the time has gone or how they have grown to be so big right in front of my own eyes. It is such a blessing to be able to stay at home with them and watch them grow and develop. I love that they are now loving to play make believe "anything" with each other. From pretending to be snakes on the ground to having Birthday parties where they blow out the candles and open imaginary presents. It is fascinating and scary at times to see what these two come up with together. I explain to most people that they seem to have a love/antagonizing relationship. They are either holding hands and hugging or fighting. Gracie and Bailey continue to LOVE school which makes my heart so happy. Just this week we started doing the "car pool" line which is a big deal as any mom can tell you. They looked so confident holding the helpers hands as they walked into their school without me. It is neat to be able to watch how something so small can help them to develop their confidence into being big kids. They are now going to school on M, W, and F from 9-1. My favorite part of the day is picking them up and hearing them tell me about their verse from the day like "God Made Animals." I always hang up their art on their special art boards at home.

Gracie is so sweet and feisty all at the same time that it isn't even funny. I am constantly having to remind her that I am Bailey's mommy and that she is his sister. She loves helping out around the house and really is a great help. The other day I was changing Bailey's diaper and I asked her to get me a plastic bag. She opened the child proof locked cabinet picked out a baggie and brought it to me. Her job is to feed Dixie each night and the other night after feeding her I heard her in the kitchen drawers. I asked her what she was doing and she said "getting a towel to clean up Dixie's mess" as she proceeded to wipe Dixie's drool up off the floor. She is incredibly smart and I really have to watch what I do and say because she copies EVERYTHING. When it is sunny outside she will sit with her knees up and pull of her pants legs and say "I am getting a little sun!" She is picky at eating and her favorite foods are chicken nuggets, chicken nuggets and chicken nuggets. I think she would eat them for every meal if I let her. Her favorite things to play with are her baby dolls, kid coffee maker and play kitchen. Her teacher reports that she is the boss of her class room and that at potty time she will line up all children and tell the teacher that they are ready to go. She has started potty training and is wearing big girl panties on and off. Mommy needs to commit more in this category. She sleeps well but she definitely is the first to wake up. She still sleeps with her bunny lovie. Her hair has just gotten long enough for pig tails and pony tails and she continues to adore having me paint her nails and to put "curls" in her hair.

Bailey is still my sweet boy. He is definitely a momma's boy. He loves his sister and he asks to give her a hug and a kiss each day before nap time. If I forget then he will get out of his bed and say "momma I hug/kiss Gracie." He is super easy going for the most part. He can play independently for long periods of time as he LOVES his train table. He has started getting into some big boy toys like Legos and super heroes. His favorite thing to do when Daddy gets home is to play tackle football in the den. He is a great singer and he can recite just about any song that he has heard. I love hearing him sing and watching him dance. He can say all of his A,B,C's and numbers. His smile is contagious as he grins from side to side. He has an appetite that I have never seen in any little boy. This kid can eat and eat and eat! He loves fruit, vegetables, meats and his favorites are sweets. He can also sleep like a champ. I usually have to wake him up after a 3 hour nap and sometimes in the morning because it is time to get ready to go to school. His favorite toys are his train table, cars and musical instruments. He recently got a Thomas the train whistle and he hasn't put it down since the day he got it. Bailey isn't very interested in potty training. He is still attached to his lovie at nap time and bedtime but lovie now stays in his bed and so that has been a big step.