Sylvia is 2 years, 2 months

If I can ever get myself to update this thing on any day other than the 27th, I may stop celebrating every month. But that day is not today! So, another month, another post...

It's been a big month for our little girl! A week ago, I would not have expected to be saying this today, but Sylvia is potty trained! It's still new and requires a lot of attention, but she's doing amazingly. When we started the process, I thought that the best case scenario would involve us being housebound for a few weeks, but she's doing so well that we've been able to go on several outings and playdates - without incident! I am just crazy proud of her!

This month also included Sylvia's first flight with her very own seat. We went to Oregon for a reunion / anniversary party. Sylvia was soo happy to be surrounded by family.

She had a great time, and it was wonderful seeing how much fun she had with her cousins.

And the pool was awesome!

Generally, Sylvia has just been more and more aware and independent. Here she is, admiring herself in the mirror after requesting "kip... kip... kip... kip...."

...She'll start taking them out in about 5 seconds...

Sylvia is 2 years, 1 month

Sylvia is another month older, and I'm officially a month late for an actual birthday post!

We've had a lot going on in the past 2 months. For one thing, I started working, which is a really good thing, but it's been challenging for us all. It must not be too terrible for Sylvia, though, because she's really thriving. At her 2-year medical checkup, her doctor commented that she "obviously understands everything" and that she's doing great. She's also had quite a growth spurt; she's 70th percentile in height and weight! She talks more and more, and she keeps getting sweeter and sweeter. When Max or I bump into something, or say "ouch", or even look sad, she asks, "Okay, Daddy / Mommy?", and gives us hugs and kisses. When we kiss her and tell her, "I love you so much!", she hugs us and says, "So much!"

But let's back up!

Since the last time I gave a decent update, Max spent a full week in France. Sylvia and I weren't totally alone, though. We had a two-day visit from my parents and brother, and Sylvia absolutely reveled in all of the attention.

One quick week after his return, we were on our way to Chicago. We met Max's parents there so we could all spend time with Max's mom's aunt Ev and uncle Al. Jeff, Jayne, Kurt, and Maria, and Joel were there, too, so we got a lot of quality friend and family time!

Our planes flying in both directions were cancelled, and we spent a lot of time waiting around airports, and we had some disappointments with our lodgings, but all told it was a great trip. As always, it was really hard saying goodbye to everyone. Sylvia took it particularly hard. At some point, she decided that the plane was called a "rocket ship", and for a few weeks she was asking to go back on the rocket ship and see people. She's never liked saying 'goodbye', but she's been especially sensitive to it ever since the trip to Chicago.

Sylvia's birthday was very well celebrated. First, we had a very special cupcake party for her, Maria, and Kurt in Chicago. On her actual birthday, several of our friends from school / work came over to sing 'Happy Birthday' and share a small Thomas the Train cake. The following weekend, we drove down south and had a wonderful party on Saturday with family on my side at my aunt and uncle's house, and then another wonderful party on Sunday with family on Max's side & friends at Max's parents house. A week later, we had a party in SB for our friends here; it had a dinosaur theme, and there were about 15 kids running around and playing party games. All told, Sylvia was showered with love and gifts, and had a wonderful time! By the end of it, she thought every package in the universe was a present for her and that cupcakes were a part of every meal.

Sylvia is TWO

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Hopefully.

Sylvia is 23 months old!

Sylvia is just one short month away from being TWO YEARS OLD.

You know the deal... she keeps getting taller, heavier, bossier, and more communicative.

We've been very social this month. First we had a visit from our friend Elsa, and then we drove south to meet Sylvia's cousin Evan and see other relatives. In between (sometimes during) these social engagements, Max has been working on getting a paper ready for publication and getting a talk ready for a conference. And we've been working on transforming our patio into a nice play area for Sylvia.

We can't really even keep track of all of Sylvia's words and sayings anymore. Her favorite word, though, is definitely "mine". Fortunately, she also really likes "hugs" and "tee-chu mama" ("thank you"). From her dad, she learned to express confusion with a small, grunting, "huh?" At first, it seemed to be a genuine question. Soon, it seemed to be a little more tricky, as in, "Wait. I wasn't supposed to do that?" or "I can't hear you, so you can't get mad at me for not listening to you." Of course, this often makes us laugh, so it's taken on a whole new level of playfulness. I still usually can't hold in a laugh when I tell her not to do something, and she looks at me, cocks her head, squishes her face, smiles, and laughingly grunts "huh?"

This month, Sylvia got her first Fisher Price Little People and her first Thomas the Train. She's way into them! If anybody out there is planning to get her anything for her birthday, those are a safe bet. (Also, she has her very own Amazon wishlist.)

I'll try to come back and add pictures of this month's misadventures soon.

Sylvia is 22 months old!

Sylvia is continuing to transform from a baby to a kid in very noticeable ways. Her vocabulary seems to multiply daily, and she seems to be putting words together more and more. She has learned to ask for "un mor, pleeez". She has regular playmates who she enjoys seeing and interacting. She's capable of following our instructions very well (including things like returning pilfered toys or closing an off-limits cabinet), or of refusing to do so with a definitive little "nope" or "nope, bye-bye."

She can be pretty sensitive and emotionally volatile. (I have absolutely no idea where she could have gotten that.) But she can also be extremely sweet. She often comes up to me or Max and gives us hugs and kisses.

Today, Max & I got some disappointing news about a job opportunity. While there are a lot of benefits to remaining in our current situation for another year, we were really hoping to have some more financial security and to be able to to start making more longterm plans. On top of all of that, I had a headache all day, and Max is suffering from a sinus infection as well as the side effects of the antibiotic treatment for said infection. Sylvia had started out the day in a very good mood. She seemed to pick up on our moods, and rather than getting upset or demanding attention, she was very sweet to both of us. I was holding my head and laying down, and she kept coming to me and saying "ouch... sad..." and giving me hugs and kisses.

We can hardly believe that the tiny little bundle we brought home 2 summers ago is now this giant talking, running, screaming, fighting, singing, hugging, kissing little girl.

Maria is ONE

Dear Maria,

I don't know if I have ever been as scared as I was in the days before you were born. We were all so worried about them getting you safely into the world. From the moment that they decided it was time to bring you out, you defied every expectation and rose to every challenge.

We were so happy when we got to see pictures of your tiny little self.

We couldn't believe how small you were, and we wanted so badly to come see you for ourselves. We were so grateful for every picture and every report of how well you were doing, and we were so excited the day that you finally met your brother...

... and the day that they got to bring you home.

It was a special day for us, because we finally got to see you live in video chat.

Finally when you were 2 months old (just a little after your due date), we got to meet you and hold you and kiss you and squeeze you. We absolutely fixated on your tiny little hands and toes, and we held you as much and as often as we could.

Saying good-bye and knowing that you would be such a different baby when we met again was so hard. You came to visit us when you were 6 months old. So different from the tiny little lump that we had to leave behind, you were busy reaching and swatting and grabbing and playing.

And before we knew it, you were gone again. We saw you again only 3 months later, and you'd transformed again. So aware and determined. So mobile! Not quite crawling very much, but so close. Sitting on your own, but not for very long. Laughing all the time!

And now you're a whole year old! It is so very sad for us that we can't see you all the time and watch all the tiny little changes, but we're so grateful for the time that we've had with you, and so excited to continue to be there as you grow up. We love you so much.

Happy Birthday, Maria!

Love,

"Aunt" Danielle

P.S. Sorry Sylvia is in so many of these pictures. I just love pictures of you 2 together!