Summer Recap for Anna Banana

Anna is definitely in her toddler stage!  The phrase "Only Me, not YOU!" is pretty common in our house these days.  She is very opinionated about her socks, clothes, rubber bands in her hair, etc.  She is super girly and very much owns it.  Anna has loads of personality and is becoming more affectionate with people outside of our family.  Just last night we had the Alexanders over and she insisted on hugging Ms. Jacquie before they left.  Not the boys, but only Ms. Jacquie!  

One thing that really tugs at us right now is Anna saying she wants to sit on our "tops."  Brent and I have been carrying her on our shoulders at some of the events we've been going to and she says, "Dad, I want to sit on your top!"  Once she's up there she says, "Mom!  I'm on dad's top!"  Just adorable.  She is talking in full sentences.  Another great one is "I'm happy to see you!"

Tonight at story time she was getting upset because she wanted daddy to read to her.  It was mom's turn and she was just adamant saying, "No mommy!  Not you!  Only daddy read to me!"  I actually teared up like a big baby and she said, "Ohhhh!" then hugged me.  Then she said I could read to her.  I couldn't really help my reaction but it was nice to see the kid took pity on me!

Anna is singing and loves the songs from Frozen.  We also love dance parties!  Her ever-strong appetite is starting to dwindle at home and at daycare.  Ms. Glory says this is normal and good at her age so she doesn't develop a weight problem.  Anna is currently in size 6 diapers due to her broad hips (like her momma).  The kid is only 28 pounds so she isn't heavy, just broad.  Grandma Penny joked and said, "She's a broad Broad!"  She is still on and off interested in potty training but I am trying to develop the routine of getting on the potty in the morning and at night.  She gets so excited when she's successful but her willful nature is fighting the efforts.

Enjoy the pictures of our bubbly little girl!

Anna at the Twins game.

Quick picture in the glove!

Alex and Anna on the bus ride to the State Fair.

She sure loved the misters.

Anna in her pretty dress at The Highground.

"Only Me!"

Gun fight, Anna never once pulled the trigger.  LOL

Sweet Bellie.

Enjoying her swing and Care Bear.

Me Nan-Na!

Anna is just a doll.  Her second birthday is quickly approaching and she is just a doll.  She is snuggly, considerate, and very smart.  She takes care of all of us.  If mommy, daddy, Alley, or Maw-dy are upset Anna is the first to come up, rub our shoulders, and offer a hug.  She still struggles with her toddler emotions.  She still loses her temper with us and her brother, but she is such a sweet little girl.  I had the pleasure of taking a few days off with just Anna last week.  Our first day together we packed a picnic lunch and took a long bike ride.  We stopped at a park for Anna to play then went further down the road to a second park.  We played some more then settled under a Willow tree on a picnic blanket to eat lunch.  Anna is typically very antsy and cannot sit still but she just sat and ate peacefully.  We listened to the birds and crickets and just enjoyed one another and the food.  Lunch consisted of turkey slices, a cheese stick, pickles, apple slices, and saltines.  Anna’s favorite kind of meal!  I watched the wind blow throw her curly hair and just loved her minute of it as I stroked her hair and back while eating.

Anna is just a doll.

The rest of the long weekend was just as magical.  We were attached at the hip.  We went shopping, baked cookies, and just took advantage of the time together.  She is a very easy companion as long as she has snacks and is hydrated!  Going back to work yesterday was quite hard for me.  I missed her snuggles and “Mommy – come!”  Anna just gets me.

We are seeing more and more that Alex is a nice combination of his parent’s personalities.  Anna is all Mom.  She is “all in” all the time.  She is a very fun, spirited little girl.  She does everything a full blast. 

Her accident from months back with her front tooth is barely noticeable now.  The tooth dropped back down and is just slightly crooked.  She has a little scar on her chin which will get smaller as she ages.  We are so happy to see her full smile again and she has two more teeth coming in!  Her appetite and sleeping have been slightly off the past 4 weeks because of it but nothing major.  She insists on having a graham cracker and water each night before bed then she is pretty much good to go.  If she can’t fall asleep, what she really wants it to watch a show and snuggle.  A “show” meaning Sesame Street.  She has no attention span for anything else!  I was shocked when she wouldn’t even sit through Disney’s Frozen!  Parts of it capture her attention (mainly the singing) and then she is back to coloring or covering her dollies or cooking.  The girl is very domestic.  Brent has always said, “How does she know she’s supposed to like dolls?!  How does she know that?”  I just laugh at him.  Anna is all Girl just like Alex is all Boy. 

Anna is dancing and singing now.  Her vocabulary has also blown up.  We all enjoy dance parties at the house so it came as no surprise when Anna started busting out moves all her own!  Below is a video to Anna dancing to Pharrell William’s “Happy!”  Enjoy it and the pictures of our sweet Anna.

Visiting Great Grandma Drinkwine

Ah... the Cobra.

At the March of Dimes walk in April

Visiting with family on Mother's Day

The sweet little blondes going for a spin

Anna enjoying a picnic lunch with mom

Ingenuity

Spring!!

Cake!

Hello?

Easter Dress 

Finger paint

Pictures!

So far in 2014...

Anna has changed so dramatically in the past few months. She is talking up a storm, dancing, dressing up, and obsessively coloring. The girl sees a pen and starts chanting "Color, color!" She colors on and with everything. She is proving to be quite girly. She is very affectionate and loves pretty things. If I have on a nice top or necklace she says, "Pretty mommy!" Very sweet little Annie.

Now don't get me wrong, she still whallops her brother on occasion, but the girl is a sweetie. As her daycare lady says, "There is just something about that Anna." We were able to visit Grandma Penny and Grandpa Walter in January. Auntie Georgia AKA Emo was also visiting. Anna loved being around her family! We got to see horses, goats, cows, and lots of other cool stuff! Anna was so little last year that in many ways she was seeing the farm for the first time. A horse did get ahold of her hair, but luckily cousin Karyn rescued her!


Anna has a thousand nicknames and all seem appropriate at the time: Anna Banana, Belly, Bubbles, Nanna, Annie, and lots more. We love Anna and are happy to see her running through the house and becoming more independent. She still terrorizes the house. She makes the biggest messes imaginable. And she still eats like a slob. She loves to eat. That girl can eat her big brother under the table! All of that being said, Anna is a real gift to our little family. She just glows. Enjoy the few videos. The site is not uploading pics right now but I will try again.


Valentine's video for 2014 )


Anna totally stole Alex's cereal he didn't want. )


Most recent video, taken tonight. Anna was finger painting and since Alex wasn't around I took the opportunity to record her saying some words. )