Cadence is 2.5!

Yesterday was Cadence's half birthday.  Thankfully my mom mentioned this a couple weeks ago or I totally wouldn't have remembered.  It's very hard for me to believe that in 6 months she will be 3!  (And that there will be a newborn here, but that's another story.)

I took these pictures yesterday while we were having dance/music time in her room.  We were jamming to one of my favorite kids' albums You are my little bird by Elizabeth Mitchell.  She wanted to wear the tutu and crown. Both of which are made by me.  You may remember the tutu from Halloween when she was a ballerina.  It's a little worse for the wear since it's been through the wash.  But the crown is probably one of the best things I've made - I made it for her first birthday and still fits great, and gets a good amount of play.

I kind of miss writing in her baby book.  We had a great one with prompts for things to fill in every month so we could record new things she was doing and her current favorites.  Since she's outgrown the book, I'll share them here.

Favorite foods - peanut butter crackers, yogurt (the "flower" yogurt, as she calls it, or Dannon Natural Low fat Vanilla) or ice cream, and banana "cake" (it's really bread, but that's what she calls it)

Favorite TV show - Dora the Explorer.  She's usually limited to 2 shows a day - it's not a rule we talk about, just what I do.  We watch on Netflix so we are spared commercials.  Dora kind of annoys me, and I'd rather she watch Backyardigans (way better music) or Blue's Clues (I think more educational and age appropriate).  That said, she uses spanish words sometimes that I wouldn't have taught her or practiced with her otherwise.  For example, she's counting to 5 in spanish.

New trick - besides counting to 5 in spanish, she's doing really good with one-to-one counting in general - she consistently gets to 8 with no problem, sometimes 9 or 10.

Favorite book - I don't think she could choose!  We brought home Tanka Tanka Skunk by Steve Webb from the library this week, which we are both loving.  I enjoy introducing her to my old storytime favorites. She also loves this nursery rhyme/song book my Aunt Pami gave her a long time ago - she gets it out during naptime and sings the songs.  All her books are overflowing the shelf in her bedroom, so I'll be pleased to move some of the board books into the baby's room.

Favorite toys - she has several stuffed animals that sleep in her room (in very specific locations) and usually travel around the house with her.  For example, they sit at the table for breakfast.  They are: Kitten, Piglet, CoCo Bear, and Mommy Bear (or as she used to be called, Dotty Bear).

Favorite music - everytime we get in the car she wants to listen to her Baby Einstein Cd: Playtime Music Box.  It also drives me a little crazy.  She often asks to sing "A Tisket, A Tasket", which she knows from that rhyme/song book.

We're just really proud of how sweet and fun she is.  After the move, she has had to overcome her fears and shyness - she acted like a different kid for awhile, as least when we were out of the house.  I wish she would eat better (or more, maybe - it's just so foreign to me to have a kid who isn't very excited about food), but she is certainly getting taller all the time and is destined to be built like her daddy - tall and thin!

Every night before we leave her room at bedtime, she says "Dulces Suenos - I love you!"  We love you too, sweetie girl.