Happy Birthday Noni

Our baby girl is two years old today!  

I know last year I posted "Farewell Baby Nora", but we still call her baby most of the time:)

One of Nora's nick names has been Noni (pronounced nah-nee) since, well as long as I can remember:)  And, oh how interesting life with Noni can be:)

• She's still chatting, but now she's graduating to sentences.  We frequently hear "I did it", "There it/he is", "Go Papa's house" as well as many other word combos with descriptors like "big house", "carry you", etc.  She also repeats many sentences after we say them, as if she's practicing.
• One of her favorite words recently has been "ouch", and she uses it liberally.  I even wonder if she does it to manipulate the situation, i.e. getting into a cart at the store, she says "ouch" (making me look and feel like a mean mom) because she doesn't want me to buckle her in...she wants to do it.  She even said "I got hurt" the other day when she was squeezing herself into a space to small for her growing body.
• She loves counting, singing her ABCs, and identifying colors.  She's actually gotten quite good with the colors.  I know she's identified white, black, green, blue, orange, yellow, and purple for sure.  
• She loves to swing.  We have one under out deck at home, which is wonderful!  She also loves them at the park.  I often try to coax her out so we can play something else at the park:)
• We've retired the high chair.  A couple months ago we moved her to a booster seat at the table and she enjoys feeling more included at the table:)
• She loves fruit!  If it were up to her, she would live on berries, bananas, grapes, applesauce, etc.  She's not too picky with food, but she always chooses fruit first.
• She LOVES Frozen, aka "the snowman movie" at our house:)  She dances around singing parts she knows while she watches the movie or hears the songs we play her online.  I don't know what it is about that movie, but it certainly has a cult following with young children!
• She's been practicing walking up and down stairs on her feet (instead of crawling). She still needs a hand to hold, but she seems to like being a big girl.
• She's got lots of opinions.  She likes to choose what shoes to wear, which stuffed animals are welcome in her bed at bedtime, and where and when she wants us to sit by her.  And, now that she's getting more conversational in her speaking, she's clear about what she wants.  
• She is a regular source of laughter and smiles for our family.  Her antics are entertaining and we just love watching her in this toddler phase as she plays, explores, and simply lives every day.  
• We are blessed beyond words to have Nora in our lives and our family feels complete after her long-awaited addition.  

Random recent pics of Noni

Noni and her "pretty" aka pony tail

Snuggles with brother in her toddler bed

Oh that sideways glance!

Checking out the calves at
Breakfast on the Farm

Lovingly pushing brother into the fountain:)

Tub time!

Enjoying fruit loops in style
with her choice of hat

Love this little dress on her:)

Crazy hair post-ponytail

Fun with the geese at Silver Lake

Capturing pure excitement in our girl
She was flailing her arms with giddiness!

Happy to be outside

Multi-tasking: eating spaghetti and coloring

Girls' night out with Aunt Bridgy

Loves to brush her teeth

Wearing Luke's underwear as a hat 

Because I love to look back at how our kids grow, check out last year's post on Nora's birthday.

One Year Stats
Height
33.8 inches
54%

Weight
27 lbs 5 oz
58%