Happy to you!

We started singing "Happy Birthday To You" about a week before Ziva's actual birthday so she would really know what it was all about and just so she'd feel special. She loved having it sung to her, and she would sing along, "Happy to you!" Very cute. Her birthday last Saturday began with waking up to an Elmo balloon and eating Mickey Mouse-shaped chocolate chip pancakes and chocolate milk for breakfast. Then she got to open her new "basketball game" as she calls basketball goals, and play in the driveway all morning. Vince built her a soccer goal to go with the new soccer ball she got, and then later in the day we had a cookout and little party for her. She got a new umbrella which she loves, and some playdough and new clothes for the summer. Mimi taught her how to show that she's two, and she loved her Elmo cake (which I bought, instead of making and decorating myself as I had planned...). It was a very good 2nd birthday!

Playing ball during the good weather (which was supposed to turn bad but never actually did) with Daddy

Ziva's new umbrella from Mimi and Papa. We have yet to use it in real rain, but it's really fun inside the house too.

Elmo was her special birthday friend. He's still hanging around. :)

She snuck a lick (with Papa's encouragement)....brings back memories of the 1st birthday party!

"I'm 2!"

She can't hold up two fingers on one hand very well, so Mimi taught her this way of showing she's 2 years old. She seems pretty happy with it!

New do

In the month since I posted last, a couple of big things have happened: Ziva got her first haircut (Daddy cut her bangs) and she turned 2! Here's our life in a few pictures lately...

Spring break play date at the park with Ziva's friend Gabbi from school. She still talks about it just about every day!

Vince taught Ziva this pose, the "I look like I'm listening to Mommy but really I'm not" look. Ha ha. At least you can really see how good her bangs look. :)

Pony tail and ear phones

This is a post-blanket cave destruction pic. I love her face in this one!

She loves hiding and then jumping out and yelling "Hewwo!"

And speaking of what she says, Ziva no longer just knows words, she TALKS. She pulls these complete sentences out of nowhere and leaves us all in shock and awe half the time. A few weeks ago we were all racing each other around the house and she beat us into the living room and called out "I beat you guys!" over and over. She's also very bossy and likes to tell people where to go and what to do. "Mommy, do this." "Daddy sit there." "Go away!" "Ziva do this!" This morning when she woke up, she pulled up her pants leg, pointed to her knee and said, "Mommy look at my boo boo." It's so much fun to have her talk like this!

Pictures-a-palooza

Okay, here are some long overdue pictures, in no particular order. I've got three or four posts' worth, so keep scrolling down. Enjoy!

Here's the Christmas dress that Grandma and Grandpa sent. It was adorable! This was by far the best shot we were able to get with her wearing it.

This was when we went to see Christmas lights at Rhema. Always a fun trip!

Playing in the snow with Daddy!

She threw a snowball at me...

Ziva's favorite thing about winter is definitely snowmen. When there was snow on the ground, everywhere we went in the car, we would count how many snowmen we saw. This is not a snowman we built, just one she's admiring at a neighbor's.

We decorated cookies for Valentine's Day. Ziva enjoyed all aspects of it...the decorating, the sprinkles, and the eating!

This is her "cheese!" face. We're working on how to give a real smile for the camera. :)

Check out this monster icicle! It has been one amazing Oklahoma winter. (But we're ready for it to be over.)

Fashion guru, don't you think?

This one's a classic.....I have a feeling it will make an appearance when she starts bringing boys home to meet us.

I just love this picture. She looks so big.

Playing golf with her new clubs.

She looks like a pro, right?

Snack time! This picture is from today, so it's the most current shot of what she actually looks like....tall!

Nice to meet you!

Somehow I'm ready a few minutes early this morning and Ziva is still sleeping so I thought I'd try to dash off a quick post. Ziva has grown quite entertaining these last few days and weeks. Case in point, this past weekend we went to some friends' for dinner and to play some games, and there were a few new people there, so we introduced ourselves the way normal people do, shake hands and say "nice to meet you." Well, the next day, Ziva kept saying something we weren't quite getting, and holding her hand out to us. Finally we realized she was saying "Nice to meet you"! It was so cute, and she's been doing it ever since.

It's a tad bit scary, though, how fast she picks things up without us realizing it. A good thing to remember....