Little Lady {23 months}

Dear, sweet princess-

You are quite the princess these days! You are enthralled with all things beautiful and love to 'oooh' and 'ahh' over things you find to be precious. It's pretty much the most adorable thing I have ever seen. You are so loving, hugging and kissing all the time. And you still have no social fears. You say hello to everyone and love when anyone stops to talk to you. Which is often. I hear 'She is so adorable' all day long. As if I didn't already know! :D

You even have a couple of friends that you refer to by name and love to talk about. You are even more excited when we have play dates and you get to see those friends! But you just love friends. On Sunday mornings when we tell you we are going to church, you always light up and say 'Pay wif fwends!' I love that you are excited about going to church and that it is an enjoyable place for you to go. And yes baby girl, we see our friends at church, including our best friend, Jesus!! What a friend we have in Jesus!! I admire your love for people and pray the Lord uses that to draw people to Himself through that quality in you someday.

You are talking all the time and putting phrases together better and better each day. I've had several people tell me that you talk so well and so clearly for not even being 2 yet! I agree. You are really getting great at verbal communication! This morning you even started to play the copy cat game with daddy by repeating everything he said while he changed your diaper: "Lay still" "yay still" "Evalyn" "Eva-yin"... You can be a little stinker! And when you are trying to talk to me but I'm not giving you the full attention you are wanting, you climb up in my lap and put your hands on both sides of my face and turn my face so I'm practically nose to nose with you. I know you need me to stop what I'm doing and pay you some attention. Of course, if you were to interrupt mama and be disrespectful, that wouldn't be ok. But this is usually when I'm dividing my attention that should be directed at you to begin with.

Your understanding of concepts is growing at a rapid pace and somedays it just down right blows my mind what you understand! The hard part is keeping that in mind when I am trying to discipline you and it would be so much easier to excuse things to you not understanding. Most of the time that isn't true. You are testing the boundaries all the time. Over and over again. You do something you know is wrong, you are disciplined and then go do it again! It's very trying and draining, but I just keep reminding myself that these are the most foundational and crucial times for our future in teaching you obedience to us and to your Heavenly Father. We are teaching you that there are consequences for all your actions. And they are immediate. It can be the most difficult thing I do all week, but it's probably the most important thing too.

I can honestly say that you are relatively obedient. I've heard stories of how things could be so much worse. But even with that being said, no 'good' behavior meets the standard of God. So we can rejoice and be grateful for the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. That is the only way any of us can be righteous!

Your doing your first swimming lessons class this summer with daddy! It actually starts today. It's important to me that you and Little dude know how to swim and are comfortable with the water. I grew up with a fear of water and still have it with you kids around the water. I hope that you grow to love the water, and you do so far! You ask to go swimming often and are so excited when I get your swim suit out. We usually spend time at splash parks since I don't feel comfortable taking you and your brother to the pool by myself. You love to run through the sprinklers too.

I just can't believe you will be 2 in 30 days...

You will always be my baby girl but you are looking and acting much less like a baby and more like a big girl every day!

I love you so much, sweet princess!

One year ago...