I would have loved for Emily and Elena to look at the camera, but then they wouldn’t be two. This photo turned out sweet anyway.

We had a play date with Elena and Maeve. A lot of play and a little cookie making. Of course, I didn’t think to pick up the camera when they were ‘cooking’. I think Emily introduced Elena to eating cookie dough. You never know what kids will teach each other when they get together. We had a good time playing house, meeting new dollies, having lunch, and playing with each other’s sisters. Even the little girls got some time playing together. What fun they will have over time!

Our big girl has turned two. Wow, the time has flown! Two years ago we wondered who this little baby would be and what she would look like as she grew. Last year for her birthday, she was learning the freedom of mobility in pulling up and beginning to take steps on her own. Now she is running, talking in gibberish/words, and playing with her sister. Who knows where she will be next year?

To celebrate this year we went to dinner with Grammy and Granddaddy and then had cake and gifts. I think Emily only ate one bite of her cake because she was more excited about opening her gifts. Unlike Christmas when she opened each gift and wanted to play with it, for her birthday she opened one and then grabbed for the next gift. It worked out because it was already her bedtime and by opening them up in a speedy manner she got to get down and play with all the gifts and get on to bed pretty quickly.

As an extension to her birthday celebration Emily and Elena had a play date and lunch together earlier this week. Elena is just two days different than Emily in age and they have gotten to spend the last two years together growing and playing. Elena introduced Emily to bounce equipment and the freedom of exuberant bouncing. Emily was apprehensive to enter the equipment, but Mommy made her enter each one and then make a judgement about her likes and dislikes of each one. She was exhausted when we left lunch and fell asleep in the car on the way home.

Then today she got to go to the Mommy & Me movie and eat popcorn. The movie didn’t hold her interest much today and when she was full of popcorn she asked to ‘play’. Most of the kids were playing today and she said “please,” so I let her go and play with the other kids. I was pleased to see that she was more interested in playing with the other kids and toys than exploring around the theater. At one point I hadn’t seen her head bouncing above the seats for a while so I stood up to look for her. She was sitting on the front row of seats with 3 other children. It was really cute.

I pray a blessing for Emily that God would grant in her life- the joy that makes dark days bright and sun-filled days overflow in gratefulness- a sweet heart for others including her sister- a willing spirit to listen to her heavenly father. I pray that God would grant us, her parents wisdom in how best to train and love her.