Our Spunky Caroline is 2 Years Old!

Happy Birthday to my dear, affectionate, vivacious, passionate Caroline!

2 years ago you joined our family. 

Since then, we've never had a dull moment. :)

We've enjoyed every single one of your delightfully frequent hugs (except Gwen, who bemoans the fact that your hugs for her always become wrestling matches)

and we've delighted in your silly faces, noises, and antics. 

We can't believe how much you love to hurt yourself-- when will you figure out tantrums don't serve your cause?

We are amazed at your dare-devil nature-- don't think for a moment that this shorty is mild-mannered, bc she will barrel right over you, jump, run, kick, climb, wrestle...and, yes, bite. 

You are such an active gal, scarcely sitting through an entire book. You love learning, but are definitely a hands-on kind of explorer. Coloring, painting, and sorting of small objects like buttons are the only activities that you will "slow down" for, instead preferring to run around like a crazy woman. Everything you do, you express physically. If you are happy, you wrestle; frustrated, you throw a monster tantrum; tired, you bite. Lucky for us, when you are feeling affectionate, you also freely demonstrate your love with hugs, cuddles, and kisses. 

We sure love you, little stinker, and are so grateful to have you in our family!

Caroline has a few favorite games:

• "push" (which means, she wants to sit on the floor and push you over, laugh about it, sit on you, then get up and do it again)
• "chase" (the classic doing laps around the kitchen-livingroom loop)
• "climb" or "up high" (she wants to climb up to STAND on your shoulders, be thrown, etc)
• "gotchu" (being tickled/wrestled all over the floor). 

She has a few favorite toys/activities as well:

• bouncing on balloons (a balloon with helium is probably her favorite toy ever) 
• bubbles
• swings, slides, and climbing-- and jumping off things!
• coloring with markers (30% of the time they end up ON her skin, but she throws a fit if you even suggest crayons instead!)
• mini-hand-held princesses (she calls them "schwin-cess")
• rocks (throwing them--we're working on that)
• and anything that Gwen happens to be interested in at any given time. 

And a few favorite foods (don't be fooled--when I say 'favorite', I mean these are the ONLY things she will condescend to put in her mouth):

• fruit (besides bananas) --sometimes this is the only things she will eat... all day. We NEVER offer her fruit first bc if she sees it, she will spit out whatever is in her mouth to make room.
• veggies: green beans, peas, carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower (sometimes)
• hot dogs, bacon, pork loin, eggs, and salami (sometimes)
• cereal (though she is picky about the kind), goldfish crackers, homemade bread (sometimes), rice (sometimes), potatoes (sometimes), and spaghetti (sometimes)
• candy (all the time), ice cream (all the time) and surprisingly, not so much a fan of cake or cobbler