Eleanor: 10 things

1. Life is hard when you're two. Or at least Ellie seems to think so. She learned a wonderful phrase from her older brother, "it's just hard!" And she says it all the time. Usually it's the easiest thing I've asked her to do that is the hardest. But sadly, she can get away with it; it's just too adorable to hear her talk that you kinda just give in most of the time.

2. Eleanor is kind of a drama queen. If you try to correct her, tell her not to do something, or worst of all, try to punish her, she'll break down into the biggest crocodile tears and fall to the floor. It's ridiculous. But it is effective at getting out of punishment sometimes; I'm just too pregnant to bend down and pry her off the floor so I usually just leave her there to fake sob.

3. Naturally, Eleanor can name all the princesses, even the ones she's never actually watched before. Her favorite is always "Bawl" (Belle). She's already picked out her Halloween costume, Belle of course, and frequently talks about being Belle for trick or treating. Every morning she wants to watch "fee the firs!" (Sofia the first), and she's now obsessed with watching youtube videos of Roger & Hammerstein's "Cinnerwelwa." Elsa and Anna have made a recent comeback with Eleanor, but they are always collectively known as "let it go!" One day we're getting ready for church and Ellie comes into my room in her dress and exclaims, "I look Sleeing Booy! Mom! You look Sleeing Booy too!!" Her favorite music to listen to in the car is "Pul!" (Rapunzel), especially "I See the Light." When we go swimming, she "put on my mamaid fin" like "Aiel!" Frequently things find their way into her teacups like "Muon silly cricket."

4. Maybe it's because she frequently comes with me to buy stuff from a local resale group, but Ellie is really cognizant of the concept of "buying." She loves to pick up a toy to show someone and declare "Mom buy dat!" Even things I didn't actually buy for her, she still insists, "Mom buy dat fo me!"

5. So Eleanor only gets her binkie at naptime and bedtime, and we're very strict about her binkie staying in her bed at all times. Almost every day she'll get upset about something or fall down and get hurt and declare a self-imposed naptime. Then she'll just climb up the stairs and lay down in bed with her binkie for like ten minutes or so. Fine by me! 

6. Um, Ellie is one sassy girl. It goes with the drama queen I guess. The best is the flat out "No," when I ask her to do something she doesn't want to do. Or "I don't like that!" And "I. don't. want. that. mommy!" Defiant little child already. 

7. Okay, by far my favorite thing about Eleanor right now is her cute little voice. She just turned two, but she already speaks in full sentences and makes her own thoughts, not just mimics. Her voice is so adorable and sweet, and I just want to bottle it up and keep it forever! I wish I had words to describe it; it melts my heart all day long. This girl could get away with murder if she wanted, just because Peter and I can't get over her little voice!

8. Jude and Eleanor are both big singers. They'll walk around all day singing random things. Ellie's singing cracks me up because she usually only says the first and last word of a line of a song. Her favorite songs to sing are "I Chid of God" (I am a Child of God), "Sabeam" (Jesus wants me for a sunbeam), and "Sleeing Booy song" (Once Upon a Dream). 

9. Eleanor used to be my best eater; now she's the worst. She never eats more than a nibble of dinner, frequently skips lunch because she'd rather nap, and doesn't even snack that often. But there is one meal she always eats and usually a lot of it: Breakfast. Eleanor loves breakfast foods (must be my daughter)! Her favorite food: EGGS. She wants to eat scrambled eggs every single day. I've started having to buy over a dozen eggs a week just to keep up with her egg eating habit. 

10. The baby obsession has been going on for awhile now, but it seems to be getting stronger lately. She has this baby doll that she loves to take everywhere. She has to put baby to sleep, feed her, change her, and can never go to bed without her. Ellie recently discovered that baby sister's room is full of baby stuff. I frequently get requests to change baby doll's outfit out for something she found in baby sister's drawers, or put together a real bottle she found. I often get kicked out of baby sister's room so Ellie can put her baby to sleep. Honestly, that room has become like an extension of Ellie's; it's always covered in dolls, princesses, blankets, anything Ellie needs to store there. I still don't think she understands that she will not be moving in there for awhile. Well, at least she's excited about baby sister!!