Two!

Our little lady turned 2 this week! Happy birthday, Evie!!

Having fun opening presents:
And playing with them with her friend Brynn:

I've said it before, but it really is amazing how quickly kids grow and learn. Right now, Evie's in a stage where she is working very hard at her language and social skills. She's gone from just knowing lots of words to being able to string them together into little sentences, and sometimes paragraphs. One of her favorite things to say lately is "Evie go car ride. Shopping all time!" Yes, at only 2, she already loves going shopping. The good thing is that it doesn't matter what we go shopping for - whether it groceries, gas for the car or run for dog food, she's in.

The li'l miss is also starting to better grasp the idea of sharing and trading....something that's notoriously difficult for toddlers. She still has a hard time with sharing certain toys, but is getting much better at picking out toys to share with her friends and at trying to trade for a toy she really wants. We're not 100% there yet, but we're proud of her progress. And I know it makes both her dad and I smile to hear her announce "share babies (with) friends" when she knows one of her friends is coming over. Her babies are her favorite toys, so it says a lot about how much she likes her friends (and I think her generous spirit too) that she's willing to share them without being prompted.

Each day brings something new, and we're excited to join Evie in all the experiences the coming year will bring! Happy Birthday to our "Big Girl" (as Evie calls herself when she uses the potty)!