A growing & changing Ingrid

It was my intention last week to write an in depth birthday monologue on the extensive change I've seen in our little girl over the past year, but alas-time has been my enemy the past 2 weeks.  Sickness, travel, teething, & parties were just some of the things on my to-do list, so a beautifully constructed birthday posting didn't quite make it.  Actually, today is the first day in 2+ weeks that Ingrid has actually been herself.  Plagued with molars & a nasty cold-my little girl wanted nothing else but to sit in front of the TV and watch Cinderella over and over and over (Rogers & Hammerstein version, of course).  Michael said he's been waking up in the middle of the night with the song "Impossible" in his head.  It's like the song-that-never-ends.   However, it's a new week-and I find myself having a few extra minutes to document some of the fun things Ingrid is doing & saying in her 2nd year.

Favorites
Movies (I love her unique and mature taste in movies, with a few kid-approved exceptions):
-What About Bob-  She asks to watch "Bob" and repeatedly exclaims "I sail, I sail!!"
-Roger's & Hammerstein, Cinderella-  This is the version with Whitney Houston and Brandy Norwood.  She knows all the words, all the actions-and asks to watch "Cind-na-na" over and over.
-Baby Einstein-She still loves some of the Baby Einstein movies, but thank the sweet Lord, that phase is coming to an end.
-Walk Away The Pounds, by Leslie Sansone- I had her do this work out video with me once, and it just stuck!  She asks to watch "Walk" a lot...

Television
-The Office- She loves this show, and always has.  Even as a newborn it's one of the only things that would calm her colicky-self down.  Now, she asks to watch the "Off-ees" and loves "Jum, Pam, Wichael, and Daaa-wight"
-Gilmore Girls- If you know me, you KNOW I couldn't be more proud.  I am a Gilmore Girls fanatic-I own all 7 seasons and have seen them all the way through at least 50 times.
-PBS cartoons- (Sid the Science Kid, Super Why {or as she says "soo-why"}, Cat in the Hat, Martha Speaks etc..")

Food & Snacks
-"Gofish" a.k.a. Goldfish
-"Foot-Snack" a.k.a Fruit Snacks
-"Gapes" a.k.a Grapes
-"Appa" a.k.a Apples
-"Chups" a.k.a chips
-"Mac-n-cheese!"
-"P-za" a.k.a pizza
- "Pee-a-but sammich" a.k.a Peanut butter sandwhich
-"Jute-box" a.k.a Juice Box
{Girlfriend has a serious taste for junk food, this is seriously curbed by lots of fruit, whole grains, dairy, and purred vegetables-FYI}

Toys
-"Pee-a-no" aka piano
-"dwum" aka drums
-"chicken" her play kitchen
-"Bi-ci-cle" her tricycle
-"Buddles" her bubbles
-"Puttles" her puzzles
-loves books, especially interactive ones.
-loves to bake & cook, and knows the whole routine
-loves to color & paint (especially good at drawing circles!)

Sleep
-MUST wear her "pee-cess" (princess) jammies every night.  It's tricky getting her to take them off.
-MUST have her "bebe, bankey, and teddy"
-likes to sleep with her fan
-generally sleeps from 8-7:30 and naps from 1-3:30 and rarely puts up a fuss-she is a great sleeper!

Talking up a storm!
{Some of my favorite things she says}
-"I hold you!"- when she wants to be picked up.
-"I hold hand!"-when she wants to hold our hand
-"Oh no! Wud-you-do?!"
-"Oh no! You okay?"
-"Where it go?!"
-"Don't you get it?!" (a line from Cinderella)
-"I need help peese"
-Says "peese & kank you" like a pro!
-"Daddy's home, Daddy's home!"
-"I see a-o-pwane!" aka airplane
"I hear a twane!"
-"Awe-sum!" aka awesome.
-loves singing ABC's
-Can recognize letter's, numbers, and colors (and very audibly points them out by shouting "FIVE!", "O!", "H!", "Bwack!" etc..)

Names for loved ones
-"Gampies" aka Grandpa
-"Gamma" aka Grandma
-"Aunt Mare-mee" aka Aunt Mary
-"BEN!" Does she ever LOVE her Ben (sister's other half)
-"GG!" Great Grandma Stiehm
-"Sa-na-na" aka cousin Savannah
-"SUM!" aka Sam, our downstairs neighbor-she has to run out and say hi whenever he comes home-God bless him!
-"Hi KENT!" she loves our landlord Kent!
-"Tee-na!" her beloved cashier at Wal Mart, they've struck up quite the bond.

Of course I could go on-and-on-and-on-and-on, but you get it.  I love her.  She's awesome.  I'm so blessed. I think having a 2 year old will be pretty cool.