TWO

Hylan Marie-

At age two...
- You are still small, but mighty at 19lbs (on your birthday) and 2'7'' inches tall. However, you have gained two pounds since January! Whoop whoop! (Thanks to peanut butter and coconut oil.) :) We went to your well visit and they (OF COURSE) wanted to get more bloodwork done to make sure all your hormone levels and other things checked out because you are still barely on the height chart and not even skimming the chart in the weight department. Praise the Lord all test results came back normal! Thank you for everyone who prayed for our sweet girl. She will have a follow up in 6 months, and if she has grown and gained I believe they will stop pricking this sweet baby.

- Your favorite thing to eat are gummies/fruit snacks (you are a toddler for sure) :) Other favorites, are fruit, salad from Odies (I know, I know... what kid loves salad??), cheetos (insert monkey with hands over eyes emoji), Sweet tea... my child for sure, and Chicken Salad Chick. :) You really eat almost everything and I'm so grateful!

-You are sassy. You talk with your eyebrows and have the funniest facial expressions. EVERYONE from grandparents to teachers at MMO have commented on this. Maybe you'll be my little actor. :) See video. :)

-Tantrums have also been started... and so have more spankings. lol Two is a tough age... especially with you, child. When you want something... you want it NOW or wanted it five minutes ago. :) You will let the world know how you feel... but we ultimately win in these situations. :)

-You LOVE to dance and twirl a baton. You spend a lot of time around this, so I believe it's definitely in your future. :)

- You have TURNED into a cuddler. :) You did not come out this way. ha! Now though... oh you love to snuggle. You always put yourself to sleep by twirling my hair and I love it. (Yes, I lay with you... and often fall asleep and don't wake until 2am... hence the lack of blogging because I'm actually going to bed at a decent hour. ha!)

- Nicknames for you include, HM, sister, sassafras, and "Hiwin" (Burke) :)

- You are a girly girl for sure. You love bows (you often want to sleep in them too), must have "doll-doll" in order to nap and sleep at night, and play dolls whenever you get the chance. You saw my toes were pink the other day, and insisted that yours be the same color. Your fingernails are next, because you totally were jealous at the nail salon recently. :)

-You also have a love for princesses... especially Ariel and Belle. You were given some princess board books for your birthday, and you carry them everywhere. You often put your foot up and act like you are trying to get IN the book, all while saying, "Momma, I wanna go." Disney's a ways off sister... lets push for 4 or 5 years old this next time, k?

-Your not all sugar and spice... you love to rough house too. You love to copy anything Burke is doing, so the most recent fascination is playing baseball. I have a feeling you are going to want to be out there this spring with the big kids. Your time is coming, sister... oh it's coming... (CAN LEOTARDS AND DANCE RECITALS GET HERE FAST ENOUGH?!?!) Who am I kidding... you love to play with balls and will most likely be an athlete. Nothing wrong with being both though.

-You cry more than Burke ever did. If you are around others, or outside of the house, you are normally not like this. Maybe you are just a social little thing, and don't like being forced to look at me all day. :)

-Burke's love of board games is rubbing off on you. You adore "playing" Monopoly, where you insist on being the dog and I be the cat.

-You are in love with Bubble Guppies, and we often have fights in the morning between what cartoon will be watched.

-You are a dare-devil. You love to surprise jump into my arms when I'm least expecting it and no playground is too high for you. I mean... we did just have your first ER visit recently... I have a feeling it's not the last.

-You adore "school" (MMO). Which is a serious testimony to the amazing teachers you have. You love to tell me about your day when I pick you up. :) You also LOVE painting your hand(s) and I'm pretty sure you request it almost every time you enter the doors. :)

-Speaking of talking, you are saying so much! Complete sentences can be found frequently, and we rarely can't figure out what you are saying. Our favorites include, "Pay with me?" (Play with me?... in the form of a question, to which no one can turn down that sweet request.), your constant singing of "Ho-wee, Ho-wee, Ho-wee" (Holy, Holy, Holy) or "Wis men house on da wok" (The wise man built his house upon the Rock.)

-You got the Bartlett curse of having "leg aches" and "arm aches." This crazy form of growing pain is so painful, and I'm so sorry that when you get older no one will believe you when you try to describe it.:) But you now are a heating pad addict (because it eases the pain) like me.

-You adore your brother... (except when he wants to watch "bow-bots" instead of "bubble" in the morning. :)

-You are a momma's girl... for now at least. You do almost spend 24/7 with me, so I get it... and don't hate it. at. all. I can NEVER get enough of your tiny arms around my neck, the "momma, pay with me" requests, or the fact that you want to lay on my chest to fall asleep at night. I treasure these times, always.

Hylan Marie, we never knew we could be more wrapped around a finger. Your sweet love and sassy personality is just what was needed around here. Somebody has to keep us on our toes! :) We love you with all of our being and our prayer for you is that you will walk through life knowing God's assigned worth to you. We pray God gives you a heart that desires to help others and pray you grow to be a woman of joy and laughter whose Christ-centered character is what makes you most beautiful. (Proverbs 31).  

We love you sweet girl... don't be in a hurry to age three.