Indie's Two year update!

August 12, 2015

Indie's Two year update!

Indie is a sweetheart of a girl. She is very aware of emotions in others, and feels her own emotions fiercely and deeply. This makes for a lot of melt downs and tears at the drop of a hat (always amplified if hungry or tired, shocker). Indie has always been very sensitive, tone and wording mean a lot to her and her happiness. This sensitive melt down bit has an amazing upside as well. It makes her an extremely compassionate little girl. She is very aware of those around her and their feelings. (She likes to point out when someone on TV or around her is happy or sad) She is especially kind to babies and animals. Already knowing when they need comfort or to be gentle with them or to approach slowly instead of like the 'freight trains' that toddlers often are. (Her heart would just burst if she could always be outside, with animals or with friends) She is an extremely good listener and helper. She loves to be praised and to feel like she is making you happy and being a big girl. Indie gives hugs and kisses readily and often without asking.

(13 months old)

Indie loves to laugh, play and receive one on one attention. She loves to stay busy and have structured activities. (She does independent play pretty well most days, but it's not her first choice) Some of her favorite things to do are: rough housing, being chased, organizing & stacking small things, reading and helping cook (especially if it's cracking eggs by herself) Her favorite toy would probably be her colorful stacking bowls. Every morning she organizes them by colors, stacks them, and will find small toys around the house and organize those inside the same colored bowls.

(14 months old)

Indie is learning to speak more and more. Right now she copies a lot of what we say and will do 3-4 word sentences by herself. She likes to be a big girl and feel like she is helping and doing everything she can by herself (while we stay close by, with specific instruction NOT to try to help, regardless of how frustrated she becomes. We are like a toddler secret service. 'Protect but don't interfere!') She knows all her colors and will say them
often. She likes to point out the colors of the cars around us and the colors of her clothes and bows. She learned her colors really quickly in an obsessive fit she had with a Melissa and Doug fish puzzle.

(15 months)

Indie's has a few favorite foods that have probably single-handedly kept her alive this past year. Noodles! If we ever go out to eat, which isn't often, Indie will promptly ask for noodles as soon as we sit. No need to see the menu. Heaven help the day we go somewhere where they don't offer Mac n cheese on the kids menu. Apple Sauce! Bear in mind this must be presented in a squeeze pouch! I don't think she actually knows what apple sauce looks like. When offered it in bowl form we get nothing but nose turns and tears. 'How dare you lie to me?! I was promised apple sauce! What is this?! Take it away! Take IT AWAY!' Fun Drinks! This is a rarity but apparently its been happening often enough for her to think that Costco Gas was a drive in. She exclaimed with glee 'INDIE DRINK!' and was utterly devastated when I told her that, in fact, Costco's Gas station could not offer us a cold beverage. It was a very sad ride home, drinkless, dejected.

(16 months old)

Indie's favorite show as of late is Dumbo!!! She is obsessed. She likes to watch it while holding her baby elephant. She also likes Curious George. The movie with the Jack Johnson's sound track. She generally loves anything with singing, animals or babies.

(17 months old)

Indie loves music and songs. Popular requests right now are 'Store ow why!' ('Star how high,' aka twinkle twinkle little star), 'Beam!' (Jesus wants me for a sunbeam), and 'Dog!' (How much is that doggy in the window?) She is also obsessed with the chorus of Boom Clap and I love it. She asks me to sing to her at bedtime these lyrics and I feel a little silly, but she loves it.

(18 months old)

(find her 18 month update here)

Indie is a Mama's girl! Although she loves her Dada something special. She's even starting asking for him to come home when he is at work. (Dada y home a work?) Mom is usually the first one whose needed for hugs, loves, playing, calming a meltdown, and adventuring with.

(19 months old)

Indie LOVES to play with friends. We are so blessed to live where we do. We have lots of fun friends close by. If Indie hears her friends laughing or playing outside she perks right up and runs to the door in a frenzy. Every day, multiple times Indie will ask to go play with Lilo y Phephe (Lauren and Phillip.) Indie can be pretty submissive around older or more outgoing kids. She loves to follow them around and will do whatever activity the other kids want to do. Until she feels like sharing is not happening in her favor. Then there is no submissiveness at all.

(20 months old)

We rode the train to Damon's work a bit ago, AND rode a train at the Zoo on a separate occasion. Now, Indie is convinced that every day Damon gets on the train and goes to the Zoo and plays with the animals all day. Several times a day, Indie will pause what she's doing and say "Daddy ride cho cho? A work, Daddy y animals." Meaning Dad rode the train to work and is playing with the animals. I've given up trying to tell her that he is in fact not just playing at the zoo all day.

(21 Months Old)

Two things Indie obsesses about right now are having her nails painted with NO chips in it, and 'Cheers'. Damon taught her how to 'cheers' with their cups and it's evolved into quite the process. At lunch between every bite, we have to cheers our cups, our plates, our silverware...napkins, place mats, food... Literally anything that can be cheers-ed will be. Every. Other. Bite.

(22 Months Old)

Indie has brought a lot of joy into our lives. She is very clever and learns things quickly. She's the perfect balance of sweet, silly, quiet and rowdy! We've never been quite so happy nor quite so challenged in our lives. She's made all our feelings 'bigger,' happy, sad, worried, frustrated, silliness and love... She's teaching us patience, communication and reminds us what is important in life. There really isn't much more I love in this word than a hug from her tiny arms. We've had an amazing first two years with this little bug. I'm exited to see her grow into the beautiful lady she's meant to be. Being her parents has been a privilege and a blessing!

(23 Months Old)

Happy Birthday to our Sweety Pete, Buggies, Indolyn, Sweeter Peter, Bossy, Damon face, Honey, Baby, Little face, Teeny One, Bug-a-boo, Crazy Pants, Love, Sweetheart, Little One, Bug.....