Happy 23rd month Birthday, Dakota...

Dakota!!! I can't believe you're almost two. WOW!!! I know I say this all the time, but seriously, where did my baby go? As someone else put it, this is the last of your monthdays. You'll no longer be 24 months, or 28 months, you'll be two, then three, then eighteen and off to college. Oh how I wish you would stay young forever. But at the same time I look forward to watching you grow up to be the amazing, confident, compassionate, successful, young woman I KNOW you will become. Your Grandpa has told me from day one that if I have high expectations for you, YOU will rise to the occasion. Dakota, you have a mommy and daddy that believe in you, and will always stand behind you 100%. There is nothing in this world you can't do if you believe in yourself.

Here is what's new in your world:

You have started to speak in 3 word sentences, and occasionally four. Usually I have to translate for others because there's a whole lot of jibber jabber in between.

You are SO polite and say "thank you" ALL the time. If we don't reply with "you're welcome" you repeat yourself until we do.

You say bless you when someone sneezes.

You always cover your mouth when you cough, even when you don't know I'm watching.

If someone asks you how old you are, you reply with "two" and do your best peace sign, or what looks like a gang sign. LOL

Ever since our Hawaii trip, you tell us "ni-night" when you want to take a nap or go to bed. I never thought I would hear that from a toddler.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, you are one sociable kid!! Even though you don't talk much, you seem to make friends wherever you go.

You love the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and you sing "yo-ho, yo-ho, yo-ho" over and over and over and over, until mommy can't take it anymore. Haha

You can draw circles. Ok, they're a little lopsided, but we can make 'em out. =)

You HATE commercials. Ok, maybe it's me that hates commercials, because you now seem to mistaken some commercials as actual TV shows. When the commercial ends, you glare at me with accusatory eyes just before screaming at me to turn it back. HAHA!! I love it, but I hate it!

You can do the hokey pokey

You absolutely hate having crooked socks. You pitch the biggest fit, and scream "sooooock" until it's fixed.

Things you like....

Mommy's Carebears and Smurfs that were save all these years just for you!

Collecting rocks

Your toy cars and trucks

Sushi (Grandpa's proud)

Trains...you are now familiar with downtown Fullerton, and will scream "choo-choos" even when we're about a mile away from the train station. How you do this rear-facing is a mystery to me!

Disneyland

Coloring

Watching TV in between mommy and daddy

Merry-go-rounds, even if they do make you super dizzy

Goofy, and Mickey, and Pluto, and Donald, and all of the Disney characters at Disneyland

Fast rides and rollercoasters

My iTouch. You love the apps! You're favorite is to draw on "Doodle Pro" and flip through the flash cards in "Smart Baby"

Things you hate...

My Meatloaf

Not getting your way

Being told "No"

Shopping