Today

Two years and one months we've had this beautiful brown eyed girl.  It's so fun watching those big eyes discover the world and find happiness in every moment.  She may not be aware of her condition but she seems to know that each moment should be full of fun and happiness.  This is where we run into difficulty.  She KNOWS that each moment should be fun and happy so when she doesn't get popsicles for breakfast or gets scolded for playfully pulling sister's hair she gets very upset with us for upsetting her ideal.  You know Puss 'N Boots on Shrek?  Yeah...this girl has perfected the sad kitten eyes.  We have discovered that we were better parents will Ella.  No was no.  With Livie, she flashes those eyes, a little pouty lip and some heartbreaking whimpering our way and we hand over our souls to the little devil.  Ella functions a little differently.  As we like to say, Ella goes from 1-10 in two seconds.  Livie on the other hand only escalates that quickly if Ella is the one disturbing her happy and fun world.

My Livie Lou is growing beautifully.  She's been eating like a champ lately and I'm praying that gets her to gain those extra five pounds before her next surgery.  She's big enough for it but I'm going more for strength now.  She is getting so big.  At her two year well child they forgot to give me her chart thingy that says percentage and what not so I'm not sure where she's at but she is not skinny and is getting tall.  The only problem with her growing is she thinks she's a grown up.  She gets very upset with me when I won't let her up to the stove or play with knives.

Perhaps the knives thing is a play thing.  She plays better than Ella ever did.  She loves pretending.  Everything is a phone.  I love hearing her chatting on the remote control saying "Hello? Buh bye!" She loves playing salon.  As I type she is actually doing my hair.  Occasionally she pauses, sticks her face in front of mine and exclaims, "Oh! Tooooot!"  (Cute.)  We did have beans for dinner but there is no tooting going on.  She loves wearing dresses and being a princess.  The second a dress is on she'll twirl and say, "Ooo, pee-ee!" (Pretty.)  If it's not a dress, it's jewelry.  More than once she's come out of nap time decked out in bracelets and necklaces. She loves tea parties, barbies, dollies, playing kitty or doggy, etc.  She loves pretending.

We have been working extra hard with Livia on her communication and it seems to be working.  She has progressed more in the last month and a half than I ever thought possible.  She's using multi-word sentences and, though a lot's not understandable, she is proving that she can and will talk.  And, one of my most favorite things in the world!  Just like big sister, when she wants to be held she says, "Hold you please?"  Since Ella has lost most of her toddler-isms I am thrilled that Livie has started adding her own to my memory banks.  

Health-wise Liv is doing well.  I have noticed her sats dropping a bit and she gets bluer a bit faster.  It's nowhere near as bad as it was before her last cath so I'm not feeling pessimistic or anything.  Just watching her closely.  A lack of other symptoms and my own anxiety is a good sign I think.  

Some of Livie's favorites:  Anything cold.  Ice cream, popsicles.  She loves it all and is obsessed.  She loves movies.  She doensn't watch the all the way through but she loves bringing me a movie and yelling "watch!" at me until I cave and turn it on.  Favorite foods include: veggie mac, goldfish, spaghetti/lasagna, any pasta sort really.  Strawberrys which she just calls "bay-ee" apples "bapple" and bananas "nana"  Pooh and Elmo still make the favorites list too as well as Mickey, Minnie and their gang.  

A few quirky little Livieisms.  When she wants your attention,  no tapping on the arm for her.  She will full on smack your face until you pay attention to her.  If that doesn't work she will grab your cheeks and move your face to look where she wants it too.  This is why we keep her nails so well trimmed.  Going along with the theme of grabbing your face, she also likes to grab your face so give you butterfly kisses.  But, her butterfly kisses have to be eye to eye.  None of this lashes on the cheek thing.  She wants to brush your eyeball with her luscious lashes.  If you pretend to sleep, she will be a rooster and wake you up.  Again with the face thing, she has to crow with her lips on your cheeks.  Nothing like getting a "do-do-dooooo" inches from you ear...Love her.

I wish I could share the everyday moments with you all.  Livie's face holds so much!  She can be incredibly frustrating one moment and melt you the next.  Her smile makes my day better.  Her giggle makes my heart sing!  Even though we've had enough time with a seemingly normal baby I see her zipper and after my 30 seconds of PTSD panicking I remember how grateful I am to have her.

Some slight bad news.  No pictures today.  When I was cleaning up the import cord to my camera I remember thinking I needed to put it somewhere I'd remember in the new house.  So naturally I have no clue where I put it.  When I find it, I will Post some pics.  Until then, love to all!