1 Georgia's 2!

I can't believe there was a time, before Georgia was born, when I actually worried about loving another child as much as I love Leighton. I honestly was concerned! I thought there was just no way that any baby could capture my heart like Leighton had. And then sweet Georgia made her way onto the scene and she had me at hello. (Or, wah!) And now that she's 2 she's clearly developing her own strong personality and I love that she is so different than her sister!

I ACTUALLY had a conversation with Georgia a couple of nights ago. Not in complete sentences or anything, but in Georgia talk. I hit my leg or arm or something on the table and she walked up and said "Wrong?" I told her I hurt myself. She kissed it and asked "Better?" I told her yes, it felt better. And then she said "Yay!" and walked away. I mean! What a little lovebug.

Georgia is talking up a storm these days and it's exciting and hilarious. She has her own words for things, like "Pillot" for pillow and "glassen" for glasses. One of my favorite expressions is "Off dis" (or "up dis," "want dis," etc) for when she wants to take something off (like a shirt). I also love "Diff way" for this way. Georgia has MASTERED the sweet, begging, pouty face. With that sweet little stare and "Pleath, mommy?" I'm a sucker for whatever she wants.

She's got a great memory. Many nights I cut up an apple in the kitchen for their dinner. Georgia often strolls in and wants to hold the apple to eat it. One night, and I mean ONE NIGHT, I was cutting an onion and not an apple and I told her so when she asked for the apple. That was over a month ago. Now every time she hears me cutting something in the kitchen she runs in asking "onyon?" Smart kid.

Georgia is a real lovebug. She insists upon giving us hugs and kisses when we come and go. And then another hug. And another kiss. And another. This makes putting the girls to bed take a while! I usually read to Leighton while Chad reads to Georgia and then they both go to bed. But we have lots of interruptions because Georgia is always running in giving us "one final kiss" or hug.

Georgia looks up to Leighton, I can tell. And yet they do have their little disputes many times a day. Usually someone hits someone, and someone hits someone back. And then Georgia cries. Georgia usually just needs some acknowledgment of her pain and then she moves on.

I'm just thrilled to say Georgia is still napping every day. We have definitely put a lot of effort into keeping it going. She always goes to her crib at 1 p.m. and she usually sleeps till at least 3, many days later. If she doesn't get this nap, it's a painful evening for everyone. I don't know if we trained her to nap or she just needs it, but I'm just glad it's still happening.

Georgia LOVES walking, running, diving, and doing anything wild and fun. I have yet to see her scared or hesitant to do anything. I love that about her. She could probably teach me a lesson or two!

At her 2-year doctor appointment this morning, Georgia weighed 26 pounds and was 33.5 inches long. Just under the 50th percentile for both. So she's just perfect, as Dr. Kinalska likes to point out! We love you Georgia Belle, Georgie, Little G, Baby Georgie, Jojo! Happy 2nd birthday!

0 Swingers

Ok. The girls LOVE this play set. A lot. So much that that's ALL they want to do. It's wearing me out! However, major things have already happened on it! Leighton went from swinging on her stomach to sitting on her bottom AND wanting to be pushed. We are shocked! It took all of 2 days to make the shift. She went from not really liking swinging at all to being a full-on swing addict!

It looks like Georgia is an advanced swinger here too, but she's still rocking the baby swing. She fell off seconds after sitting in the big swing.

Leighton had her third tantrum of her while life last night because she wanted me to push her on the swing and it was dark and cold outside (and dinnertime). It was tough! I want the play set to bring happiness...not tantrums! We will probably need to set some boundaries on when it's ok to play out there because 6 in the morning is just too early for me, and 8 at night is just too late! I let Leighton work through her anger (I timed her whole crying tantrum and it lasted 30 LONG minutes) and she snapped out it finally and it was as if it had never happened! To her, at least. I was drained!

During dinner last night, Georgia pulled her skirt up like a dress and was prancing around the house like this. So darn cute!

2 Birthday swing!

I took Leighton for ice cream after school and then Chad and I met at the house for the big reveal. We were both so excited to see the girls' reactions. Georgia was still asleep, so Chad woke her up and we brought the girls in the backyard. (I got the actual moment on videotape, which I will try to put up sometime.) Both girls just smiled and ran right over to the swings. It was pretty awesome. And since that moment, we have pretty much been outside playing on the swings and slide ever since!

 I really and truly thought the rock wall would see no action from our girls, but Leighton has already climbed up it several times!

Georgia LOVES her swing and she wants to go as high as she possibly can. It's so funny...we could not get Leighton into a swing for the longest time...she would cry if we even walked up to one. Ah...the differences in sisters!

Georgia will go down the slide by herself if she's on her stomach; otherwise, she likes one of us to hold her hand on the way down. I don't imagine this will last for long (the hand-holding, that is)!

I'm so happy the girls love their play set. Georgia has called it the park...yep, in her own backyard! Last night we had four kids in the neighborhood playing on it with us...it's possible we are going to become a very popular place to be.

1 Leighton's School Birthday

Leighton went to school on her birthday, and she had her special birthday dress on (THANK YOU, Texas, for being almost 80 degrees in January, because her dress was sleeveless!) and she had a special sticker on it for the day. And as luck would have it, she was class leader on Friday! I got to her classroom right before snack time and got to watch Leighton pick out the prayer before snack and choose the order in which the kids went to the table. I almost burst into tears watching her be "in charge." Her teacher (Ms. Moore, below) told me several times they loved how it was so clear Leighton was proud of herself but very modest about it. I feel the same way. That look of pride on her face and in her eyes...indescribable!

I made chocolate cupcakes, and strawberry cupcakes with green and pink frosting. The kids all sang Happy Birthday to Leighton and then chowed down! I only had 3 cupcakes left...and I brought about 50! (Mini cupcakes, that is.) I was glad I was getting the heck outta there after all that sugar consumption!

I know I've said it, and I think everyone says this about their children. I can't believe Leighton is FOUR. Wow, it's gone by fast, and yet I can't remember what life was like without her in it.

While Leighton was at school, we had a swing set installed in the backyard, and we kept Georgia from seeing it so we could show both girls at the same time later in the day. Georgia was clueless, but she sure was having fun with Leighton's birthday crown!

1 Leighton's Birthday Morning

I could NOT wait for Leighton to wake up the morning of her birthday. Chad and I had decorated the TV room the night before with balloons and steamers (and gifts, of course) and I was just dying for her to come in and see it all. I woke up early and was just sitting on the sofa waiting for her to wake.

After a while I couldn't stand it anymore and I went in her room and gave her a big kiss. She looked at me, and then rolled over and fell back to sleep. Agh!

Ferdie was even getting impatient waiting!

Georgia woke up and starting playing with Leighton's unwrapped presents (this is a baby that has a little bathtub). For the record, it is a big hit with both girls.

Leighton FINALLY woke up and came in the room! She took one look around...

Made this face:

And got on the sofa.

I think it took her a moment to adjust to the madness. Then she noticed presents! For her! The excitement set in!

I think Leighton enjoys unwrapping presents more than the actual present. She zoomed through all of them quickly. (For the record books: a ladybug raincoat to match her new rainboots, Legos, Disney princess dress-up book, Mr. Pencil game for Leappad, Princess nightgown and t-shirt, and James Avery charm bracelet. She did pretty good, huh!!)

She was most interested in the princess book, of course. She loves picking out dresses and accessories and switching them out.

We had to drag her out of the house to go to school, but once she put on her special birthday dress, she was ready to go! (Also I reminded her I was bringing cupcakes for her snack, so she was ready to go for that reason alone!) While she was at school, Georgia played with all her new loot. Little does Georgia know, her birthday is coming up this week too!