Monday, January 19, 2009

Elizabeth turns 2!

(But not before I snuck a video of her stating her age at 1!)



I can hardly bear to admit it, but my baby turns two today. (Well, technically speaking, my baby hasn't yet been born. I'm referring to the one out of the womb.)

Two years ago today, our sweet Elizabeth decided she was finally ready to meet us, almost two weeks after her due date. She was good enough to wait until a very unusual ice storm had barely passed, and then leisurely made her entrance on her own time.

Our only mistake was not making 'Joy' a part of her name, because that's all she's brought to this family over the last two years. She's been the easiest baby imaginable, with a tender, compliant disposition and the most adorable sense of humor in any two year old I've ever met. She sleeps like a little champ (her usual waking time is 11 a.m.---I know, don't hate me). She rarely cries about anything, even when she gets hurt. She's usually content to be entertained by her siblings or putter around the house finding interesting things to examine. She says "yeth, Thir" (yes, Sir), even when she's not the one being reprimanded. She's been speaking in three and four word sentences for over a month, and repeats everything we say.

She's the most serious little pray-er, keeping her head bowed and her eyes closed until it's time for the "amen". She rarely forgets to say "thank you" when you give her something, do something for her, or compliment her. Ever since she was about a year old, she'd be the one to clap and cheer for her brother and sister when they said their memory verses, and now she's beginning to learn some for herself. And perhaps most endearing is the way she's constantly cracking us up--sometimes on purpose, sometimes without realizing anyone's looking. It's usually her hilarious faces, but often it's just the fact that she likes to roar or the way she gets so concerned about her brother "Dado". Or the fact that when someone sneezes she says "achoo" to them instead of "bless you". Or the way she just has to "boop bunton belly" (poke my belly button) when she sees it. And don't try to tell her she's tiny, because she'll point to you and retort, "No, you're tiny!"






The girl loves bath night, because she knows she can get her daddy to give her a lotion rub-down afterwards, and she makes sure to twist into position as she asks that he do her "back, too". When I rock her at night, she always requests that I sing "Frosty the Snowman", cracking up any time I get to the part about his button nose. She wakes up so happy, and I'll often hear her awake in her crib laughing at who-knows-what in the middle of the night.




Elizabeth, I know you'll soon be leaving your baby stage behind and trading it in for your little girl stage. You won't wobble so precariously when you try to walk quickly, because your adorable feet with tiny piggies are bound to get bigger. I'm sure you'll outgrow your first request of the morning, which is for me to carry your stuffed animals downstairs in the pockets of my robe. And your smoochable belly won't always look like you swallowed a canteloupe whole.

But your Daddy and I delight to think that we're just beginning to see glimpses of the little person the Lord has made in you. And I'm sure not a day will go by, as not one has since you were born, without us marveling at the blessing God has given us when He added you to our family.

16 comments:

Candace/Chloe said...

So so precious Stephanie! What a little cutie!

Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth! And Steph...what you have written is beyond beautiful. It will bless her over the years as she can read just how loved she is over and over again.

Krista said...

Awwww this is soooo precious and cute :) She's absolutely adorable and sounds so fun to be around!

It's really good to hear from you, too. Thank you for the encouraging words. :) Maybe we can get together soon?

Amy said...

I always cry when I read these birthday letters to your children! They are so beautiful! Happy Birthday, Elizabeth!

Cass said...

Tell her Cassandra and Scott said "Happy Birthday!" :) Maybe I need to send her a refrigerator magenet of us. She was so adorable over Christmas, and I enjoyed playing with her.

Anonymous said...

I cannot believe she is 2! She has grown so much! Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Cathryn said...

Were you trying to make us all jealous? :) She sounds like such a doll. Beautiful pics too!

Unknown said...

Are you pregnant? I had no idea!!!
And my baby- Ethan turned 1 on January 18th. I didn't know our kids birthday's were so close! I hope you had a beautiful day. And congrat on new baby!!
Carrie Mitchell

Chef Mama Lori said...

She is an absolute doll! All your children are just such sweeties! I can hardly believe it's been two years. I still am convinced she waited to make her appearance until I was at the hospital anyway! tee-hee! What a blessing from the Lord she is!

Shelley Roberts said...

Oh, you so have it way to easy. Can you please send your parenting books to me since you don't seem to need them? I'm up to my elbows in two year old "spunk" (and that's putting it nicely)!!

To answer your question, when you're in Photobucket for your video, you should see a line that says Link Code with several different lines of code. Highlight and copy the one that says "HTML Code." It will begin with embed..... Paste this into your blog when you're creating/editing a post and it should work. Let me know if you have problems!

Stephanie said...

Thanks, everyone!

Amy, I cry when I WRITE their birthday letters, so you're in good company. ;)

Cathryn & Shelley, don't worry: the day after this post, she was definitely having a "sin nature day". Guess she wanted to remind me that no child is perfect! (And Shelley, trust me, anything good in her is directly due to the way the Lord made her. She's sweet DESPITE all her Mama's mistakes! So I'll be hanging onto those books, thank you very much.)

Cassandra: Hi! Thanks for visiting the blog. Yes, E would love a magnet, I'm sure. ;)

Hofwoman said...

She really is a happy girl :) She always makes me smile - I can't believe she's 2!

Unknown said...

Okay, well I don't cry when I read those birthday messages; I just smile a good deal.

I smile even more -- ear to ear -- when I'm with Dear Lizzie. She's the most delightful baby I've ever known, and I've known some.

All of my best friends have been babies, really. And yes, dear daughter -- Elizabeth is still a baby, until our next tiny one comes out to play.

Thanks for having them, honey; and for raising them as you do, with such quietness of spirit and abiding love that they always feel the security and confidence in God that parental love brings.

Thanks for training them as you do. But some of this stuff we see in Dear Lizzie -- in all three of them, actually -- just can't be trained in. God puts it in Himself.

For instance, Emma's abiding affection for any canine, regardless how old or ugly it may be? How can a small child be so at ease and so kind-hearted even to the scruffiest, biggest mutt?

And how can a 3-year-old boy know what it does to a grandparent's heart when for no apparent reason, several times a day, he will just tell us "Gwandmuthuh (or 'Gwandfathuh'), I love you!"

If God's majesty is seen in the nebulae and supernovas, His plain creative grace is seen in grandchildren. Oh, blessed 'oven' that bears such gifts to us!

Another great post, dear heart.

Dad

Sarah said...

i can't believe sweet elizabeth is already 2! it just can't be!

Krista said...

Thanks Steph :) Well, I'm in charge of advertising, writing, and editing for their website. I get my own desk with 2 computers- lots of work to be done to keep the content savvy for the reader! I'm pretty excited to have a job involving writing.

I started training today! I may be able to come over sometime next week, but it may have to be after 5:30. If a weekend-day works better, just let me know. I hope you are well!!

Shelley Roberts said...

Steph, make sure you're actually getting all of the code as I noticed sometimes it omits part of it somehow and that will cause the video not to work. Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you! :-(