This Girl!

Hannah will be 2 and a half in just a couple short weeks, and I think she's 2.5 going on 5!  She is talking up a storm, not just random things, but full out conversations!  She blows me away with her understanding of everything around her and her understanding when we talk about things.  She is a silly girl, she loves to tease and play jokes.  The last couple of months have brought about so many changes in her...

her swimming continues to improve, and her fear is still non existent.  She thinks she can swim, and is not afraid to try.  She is doing better, but definitely cannot swim alone yet.  She loves to jump in, go under water, and even go down water slides.

 

Since moving up here we have gone to the park or Isaac's school playground many times.  She's really enjoying that!  She thinks she's as big as the boys and tries to do everything they do - sliding and climbing.

 

A week ago Tante Soo Jin came to town and we went to a hot air balloon festival here in town.  It was so fun!  Hannah was not a fan of the balloon noise when we first got there, but thankfully she warmed up to it and loved it by the end.  She of course zoned in on the pink balloon and decided it was hers.  She still talks about her pink hot air balloon..."Can we go get it, please?"

(I love this picture because it captures her drama face...the girl has mastered the drama.)

 

Yes, she's biking!!!  Okay, I know she still has her training wheels on there, but the girl is doing great!  She's been begging to ride that bike since we moved in, but it didn't have the training wheels on it.  During one of Oma and Opa's visits Opa put the training wheels on it for her.  She got on it and immediately took off down the driveway!  She has barely pedaled her tricycle, so this really surprised me!  We headed over to the school parking lot (across from our house), so the boys could ride with their cousin, Carson, and Hannah just joined right in!  I am still amazed when I watch her ride, she is fast and brave!

 

We've spent many hours in the pool this summer...my kids are fish...they love the water!

 

Isaac started school this week, and it's been an adjustment for us all.  Hannah misses him like crazy!  He's her buddy, she loves to play with him, they pretend he is her daddy and she is a baby.  He carries her around and takes care of her.  When we go shopping and I put her in the stroller, I am not allowed to push her, only Isaac.  When walking in a parking lot I will reach for her hand, but she gets mad and will only hold Isaac's hand.  Like I said, him being gone has been an adjustment.  Today she told me, "I don't want Isaac to go to school anymore!"  And this afternoon after he got off the bus she told me, "Mama, you can drop me off, too, I'll ride the bus with Isaac."  I told her she wasn't ready for 1st grade, she had a little more to learn, to which she quickly responded, "It's okay, I will go to kindergarten."

 

She loves the new swing daddy put up in the back yard!  We laugh at ourselves all the time...we would have NEVER put our first born, Isaac, on a swing like this when he was 2!  There's no way!  But this girl, well we couldn't keep her off of it if we wanted to.  It's amazing how much you relax and change as you have more kids.

 

Doing her starfish and floating with Opa. 

Swimming on her back has become her new favorite way to swim.

 

DADDY'S GIRL!  She's got him wrapped around her little finger...can you see it in his eyes?

I love their special relationship, Hannah truly loves her daddy and really misses him when he's gone.  It's a precious relationship, and I am so thankful for their love.

 

Hannah has always shown an interest in gymnastics, but after taking the kids to watch at a local gym (in an attempt to help Luke feel comfortable enough to try a class again), Hannah's interest has grown even more!  She loves to wear her leotard around the house, and when I put gymnastics on TV she cannot take her eyes off of it!  While she watches she says, "Mama, I do gymnastics, I do that!  I do that, too!!!  Mama, will you watch me do gymnastics?  Can I be on TV and do gymnastics?"  I think it's time to sign her up...and I'll admit, I am as excited as she is!  We will start with a mommy and me class in a week or so!

 

2 years old has brought with it the typical 2 year old behaviors...the girl can throw a fit with the best of them.  But it has also brought so much fun!  I am enjoying the interactions, the sweet play time, and watching her develop and grow.  It's amazing how every child is different...she challenges us in ways the boys never did, but she also fills us with a new kind of joy.  I'm so thankful the Lord chose to give us this sweet and sassy girl...we LOVE her!