Oi!

Olivia, Olivia, Olivia.  This girl knows how to keep mama hoppin'.  Her mood swings are more frequent than my chocolate cravings.  No exaggeration.  Ahhh, the terrible twos.  I am currently blaming all this on the two-year-molars.  A mama can dream that it only lasts through the teething.

My Livie Lou is keeping me on my toes.  Well, I think her goal is to keep me off of them.  "Mommy, 'mon!" Grabbing my finger.  Dragging me to a chair.  "Hold you, mommy! Wa, melmo!"  In a perfect Livie world mommy's only chores would be holding Livie, feeding Livie, bathing Livie, playing with Livie.  And I love her for it.  But when you're trying to paint a house, decorate, clean, cook etc it makes life a little difficult.  Good thing she's so stinkin' cute!

Ok, so enough whining because really she is so stinking cute.  Olivia has recently discovered "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood" As a result, she has a new fondness of eskimo kisses.  And the best part.  Daniel Tiger says "Ugga Mugga" so I do.  She says it back but a million times cuter.  Something like "bugga bugga"  

Olivia's independence has reared it's mighty head.  Dressing her is usually a battle.  Her battling us against helping her.  Us battling her whining when she struggles with her dressing.  Of course, the independence has it's benefits.  She loves helping set the table.  We'll hand her the silverware and as she sets it in each place she'll say in her sing-song way, "Mommy."  When she places mine.  "Daddy" "Lella" "Yivia"  And once she's placed the last fork she yells "tada!"  She has also taught herself to ride her tricycle.  She LOVES picking her own movies to watch.  She insists on helping me cook, clean, etc.

Olivia is very much a stinker and certainly knows it.  She loves getting into trouble.  I can tell her "no" a million times and she will still eat crayons/sand, color on the walls, tear books, hitting her sister, and so on.  She gets scolded and most of the time turns on us and flash the cutest darn cheesy smile ever.  And if that doesn't get her out of trouble she whips out the saddest little cry in the world.  I am trying super hard not to raise a spoiled little thing.  I'm not sure if it's working.  

I am certainly noticing a trend with this girl.  The delayed talking, the refusal to listen to me, the independence.  In the twenty week ultrasound when she refused to stretch out in that big empty womb I thought, "She's a stubborn little thing."  And by golly, if she isn't proving me right.  So stubborn!  Excellent for the battles she has fought and will fight but I think I might need a vacation.

Striking a pose.  If she feels pretty at all.  In a dress, dressups, etc. she will strike a pose.

Did I mention that this girl may be sucking on a binky 'til she's 50?  Yeah...another stubborn thing that makes my life difficult.  We're trying to only let her have it when she sleeps.  After begging and crying and crying and begging I usually give in.

We take her baby on walks regularly.

She climbs in bed with us nearly every morning and quite often falls back asleep.  Though she steals my pillow and I sleep uncomfortably for an hour or so I love every minute of it.

I just think this one is funny.  She likes being naked.  Hope the neighbors don't mind.

Dressing herself.  Two shirt=one outfit.

This is that smile I was telling you about.  How can you be mad at that?