Happy Birthday Maddie!

On Sunday we celebrated our sweet Maddie's second birthday.  We were finally able to get her over some of her initial fear of her birthday (still a little scared but a big improvement) and I think she loved it.  She's had me sing happy birthday to her in both of the days since so I think it was a hit.  I think it was her balloons that changed the mood of her birthday - especially the "happy" one (she's obsessed with everything being happy).  We started off the morning with her favorite breakfast of "pan-pan" (pancakes) with "sur-sur" (syrup) on fancy paper plates.  She got to go to church (which she loves) and eat cupcakes, open presents, and just generally be spoiled all day.  It was such a fun day for Josh and I - this whole parenting thing isn't half bad - I think we had more fun than she did.

At two Maddie is talking like crazy. The way she says certain things just kills me - my favorites are beach, morning, happy, Harry Potter (she has no clue what this is), yay! yay! yay!, Josh, and especially Mommy.  She mostly still says one word at a time but we get phrases in occasionally.  She is still a great napper and generally a great eater and a good sleeper most of the time (minus last night).  She's pretty opinionated about some things - the songs we sing to her at bedtime, what cup she drinks out of, and she has to have a certain blanket over her at night.  Lately it's been that she has to have her Brave doll and horse (which aren't small) right next to her every nap and every bedtime.  

Maddie is so obedient and so observant.  She listens to and obeys everything I say and loves being around other kids.  She is definitely a Daddy's girl but I'm growing on her ;)  She's our little artist and loves to "draw."  It's rare to find her more than a few feet away from her crayons/ markers/ easel/ pencils/ etc and I can't get away from the grocery store without her coloring all over my shopping list while I shop.  

She is still so girly - I think she gets more and more girly as she gets older.  I love it.  She loves clothes and doing hair and makeup already.  She asks me to paint her nails and loves shoes and bows and jewelry.  She watched part of Beauty and the Beast the other day and kept saying "pretty, pretty" when she saw Belle.  I hope a little brother doesn't scare her away.  

She's a little nurturer and starts to pretend cry whenever she sees someone sad (or someone she thinks is sad) and immediately says "happy, happy" because she wants them to be happy.  

We're beyond lucky to have this little girl.  I still can't believe it has already been a whole year since this and two whole years since we brought home that teeny tiny baby from the hospital.  Saying she's the best thing that happened to Josh and I is an understatement.  Happy birthday Maddie!!

Aaaand on a side note, we kicked off the terrible two's with a bang when she decided I needed my phone in the shower with me this morning and kindly brought it to me.