Happy 2nd Birthday, Little Miss Eva!

We celebrated Eva's birthday this past Thursday night, since we knew would be "on the road" for her actual birthday on Sunday.

It is so hard to believe that as of today, our baby is now 2 years old!

She has transformed into a very independent little girl now; anything but a baby! She is changing daily and making giant leaps in her development. For example, the art of of manipulation: The other day, Amanda was getting frustrated with something Eva was doing, and Eva stood up to her and boldly said,"Dop, Amanda! I'm just a BABY!"

When I look back at pictures of Eva, I realize just how much she has grown and changed over the weeks, months and years.

Eva at birth

I still remember that full head of black, spiky hair that she was born with. It is now fading to a dark blonde and is stick straight. (I guess all of the curls went to Amanda!)

Eva as a newborn

As a newborn, Eva was quiet and serious. I remember saying,"Maybe Eva will be the quiet one..." Now, that observation couldn't be further from the truth. Eva is a little clown, constantly making funny faces and she really gets a kick out of being the center of attention. Her smile can positively melt your heart.

Eva at age 1

Lately Eva has become Little Miss Independent. She prefers to dress herself, even though the clothes are often on backward and the shoes are on the wrong feet, but she is determined to get it right. She is also developing her own sense of own fashion and more often than not, she will reject the outfit I have laid out for her, instead choosing something else. Sometimes she will very sweetly say,"Can you help me?" and the next minute when you try to help, she will say,"Me do it!" or "Lemme do it a-self!"

Potty training is another example of her independent ways and strong-mindedness. Several months ago, Eva decided on her own that she was going to use the potty like Amanda. I followed her cues, not expecting her to grasp or embrace the concept at such an early age. Now, she refuses to wear diapers, except at night, and is wearing Pull-Ups full time with only 1-2 accidents per day. She calls them her "underwear" and is very proud of them. On the first day of wearing a Disney Princess Pull-Up, she showed them off to the babysitter, proudly lifting her dress up and saying,"Ta-DAH!!!"

She is athletic and likes to run, kick balls around, and attempt somersaults. When she demonstrates her Zumba moves ("I'm doin' Zumba!"), it is absolutely hysterical. I should note that she has never seen or participated in a Zumba class; she has merely watched me practice a few of the dance patterns, which makes me wonder how silly I must look!)

Sisters

Eva is very analytical, and enjoys doing puzzles, stacking blocks, and constructing train track configurations. Dave and I like to watch her figure things out and we're often astounded at her patience level! Like Amanda, she is a complete bookworm... and will sit for story after story as long as you continue to read. She also loves to color, draw and do any other type of crafty activity. She also loves music, and she will go to the bathroom to get the stool just so she can crawl up onto the piano bench. She will then look for just the right music book to play out of, and begin to play the keys and sing along.

Eva is such a joy, such a funny little character, and oh so lovable. She can be very affectionate and cuddly, and it's the best when she puts her face in front of yours and says,"Nuzzle noses?"

She makes me laugh countless times in a day and it puts a smile on my face just to remember some of her past antics. And I should add that the combination of Eva and Amanda together never fails to provide endless entertainment for me.

Here is an example from earlier this month, where the girls try out their new "clown car."



And a short while later...




I am definitely excited to see what the upcoming year brings.

Eva at age 2, looking so grown up!

Happy Birthday, Peanut. We love you to the moon...