MISS BOOTS & POLK-A-SPOTS

The girls had so much fun taking photos on Sunday! They are 2.5 yrs. old and full of creativity, personality, and lots of FUN! It was so funny watching the differences even while we were taking their photos. Jessa was sweet, cooperative, very easily smiled. Hollyn was wild, crazy, and doing her own thing! Just hilarious how different they are!

• Hollyn has gotten so tall over the summer. Her little legs are growing and she is running so fast now! When we take our walks in the evening around the park, she is RUNNING full speed! I actually have to run to keep up with her. Not jog - RUN! She is a wild woman! Note the multiple Dora band-aids on each knee. But, she doesn't get too upset. She just brushes it off and goes for it again.

• She likes trying to do whatever Andrew is doing. Football, bikes, scooters, "soccer game", and even climbing trees. She saw him climb one in the park - she thought she could do it too! She is so busy too. Into everything, exploring everything, asking a gazillion questions. I love her sense of adventure and free spirit! She is not one to "pose" for anything. She is a doer and embraces life full tilt! I love how these photos capture her nature and the amazing girl God created her to be. So full of joy and sunshine! She is also all girl. She loves pink and purple having her toenails painted and wearing dresses and twirling too. She likes singing along in "turch" and with her favorite Noggin shows. She sings with a big smile on her face and is so excited to hear and dance to music.

• She is so nurturing and when Jessa is crying she asks her, "Wha wrong Jessa? Wha wrong?" in such a loving way. She likes holding Jessa's hand while they are eating in their highchairs and she starts singing, "Bes Frens! Bes Frens!" while they swing their arms back and forth together. It melts my heart!

• Hollyn graduated from speech therapy and she is talking paragraphs now! We can't always understand everything, still working on articulation. But for now, I love some of the silly things she says. Like always pointing out smells - "Mommy that smell stinky! gro (gross)!!! ewww!" while holding her nose and squishing up her face or telling me "Mommy what that smell? mmmm...that nummy!" She loves bugs. She is fascinated by them and tries to pick them up. When they fly away, she shudders and says, "It 'care me Mommy! Wha bug doing? Where go?"

• She has a strong will sometimes and if she doesn't agree with my instructions she is starting to say, "I NOT!" which is NOT good. LOL! She likes riding in the grocery cart - but NOT in the seat provided. Nope, in the cart. Which can be challenging when you are trying to buy...say eggs.

• She loves her hippo and her elephant winks. Still sleeping with her bink too. But she is able to not have it at all during the day except for bedtime and naptime. Hollyn is also loud. Very loud. She is a morning person and when she wakes up she is ready to greet the day - loudly. We try to help her talk softly so she doesn't wake up Jessa who is sooo not a morning person. She cracks me up trying to whisper because she talks just as loud but with a horsed tone! so funny! I told the girls the other day, "Let's use our inside voice." Hollyn yelled back to me, "A (I) not BOYS! We girls! Boys outsie!" We are also trying to learn who is a girl and who is a boy. She calls Daddy and Andrew boys and since they were at school, I guess that meant they were "outsie". LOL! So anyway, did I mention she is loud?

• Hollyn loves these cowboy boots and I love how they are PINK! And her hair, what can I say, it is beautiful too! Curly Locks, waves of golden sunshine. In the morning it is a crazy, wild mess that has to be "tamed", but she is loving bows too and likes having me "do air" and always says "tay choo" when I'm finished.

• She loves reading books. Her favorite books right now are: Corduroy, Put Me in the Zoo, and Go! Dogs! Go! She also likes using pens and pencils to draw especially requesting her name be written out so she can "help" spell it. She likes the letter 'O' a lot! She recognizes it and brings me shapes and toys that resemble it all the time. She also likes pointing out circles, triangles, and squares. She noticed that the baby pool was a square and got all excited trying to explain to me her newly found knowledge! I love that! She knows her colors and likes choosing which colored bowl will be hers in the morning. She likes counting with Jessa. They can both count to 10 and sometimes more. I love it when they leave out numbers randomly. She calls polk-a-dots, spots, and it is so cute hearing her say, "Mommy you got spots!" whenever I'm wearing my polk-a-dot pj pants.

• She loves "helping" Mommy cook. She likes wearing her apron and pouring in ingredients, helping with the measuring spoons, stirring, and of course - sampling! ha! ha! They both love popcorn very much and we had fun while Daddy was gone having movie nights and eating our "potcorn". She gets scared though and either covers her eyes or comes to me for comfort whenever a character is in trouble or making bad choices. She has a tender heart. Hollyn Faith is such a wonderful gift from God and I am so incredibly blessed to have her as my daughter!