Just Because

If you ask Beth who is cute, she now answers, "Me!"

This is Beth's reaction when you tell her something. You can say, "It's time for bed," and she does this.

We love our tall boy.

Musicals!

Ryan here.

So the kids have been really into musicals lately. Beth's favorite is Annie. Every time Eric suggests turning on a Thomas the Tank Engine show, she vehemently counters with: "No, Annie!"

At night it's the same thing. We usually sing a song before we tuck the tykes in and Eric invariably wants "Thomas and His Friends" and Beth always asks for "Tomorrow". So we switch off every night, or we sing two songs.

Although I must admit Eric likes joining in when we sing "Tomorrow":

Beth isn't too bad either:

(In case you can't tell, she's singing, "Tomorrow, I love you, today").

Needless to say, it's fun to see the kids pursuing their interests, and particularly to watch Beth develop her own favorites.

Speaking of tucking in, one night we were putting Eric to bed and he told us repeatedly that he was scared of Diesel Ten, a villainous engine from the Thomas movie. Eric begged us to do something to keep Diesel Ten from "getting him."

Cassie suggested using her "mommy voice" on the naughty engine, and proceeded to shout at Diesel Ten, telling him to beat it (I can't imagine what the neighbors thought). When she turned back to Eric and asked, "Is that good?" He replied, "No, I think you need to use a bat and beat him up."

Birthday Girl

Who told Beth she could turn two? I sure didn't! Although, it was a very fun day and she played the part of the birthday girl very well. This was her face when she came downstairs in the morning and saw the balloons and decorations. She is wearing the traditional birthday hat.

She loved talking on the phone with so many of you. Thank you to all those who called to wish her a happy birthday. She loves chatting on the phone anyway, and to get phone calls specifically for her really made her day.
This is the first birthday when Eric has felt some jealousy for his sister. It was a little hard on him that Beth got so much attention and gifts. When it came time to open presents we asked him to hand them to her. He enjoyed being the one to pick the next present, sort of like an unofficial MC. This is Beth "patiently" waiting for the next one.

One of her favorite gifts was a popper from Lela and Papa. (Note the video below to observe how possessive she is of it.) She was thrilled when she saw it.

Another favorite was a beautiful Easter dress from Grandma and Grandpa. (Grandma's got great taste!) Beth is getting to be quite the twirler.

And what would a two-year-old's party be without the obligatory baby doll? We were sitting in the family room just letting the kids enjoy the new toys and I offhandedly asked if anyone was ready for cake. Beth immediately dropped everything and ran. We found her waiting on us at the table. We did cup cakes this year instead of cake. When it came time to decorate them I wasn't sure what to do. Ryan suggested we write out "happy birthday" and this is what resulted.When Ryan pulled out the matches to light the candles Beth was speechless (for once in her life). Yes she held the opened-mouth pose the whole time he was lighting them. It was all Eric could do not to blow out the candles himself. Beth liked the cupcakes and was thrilled with the ice cream. She didn't get too messy but was proud of what she did spread on herself.It was a great day, and it made Ryan and me so much more aware of how thankful we are for Beth. She is tenacious and full of life and fun. She always has a smile for everyone. What a wonder she is.

Not So Little

I had a disturbing realization. These two are not so little any more. I was not ready for this to happen. Before you know it, they'll be really old! (How is it that I never seem to age but they do? Please, no wise cracks.)

Beth now insists on her independence: dressing, feeding, helping, wiping, you name it. She has the greatest personality. She matches what you offer, her mark for mark. If you yell, she yells right back. If you're calm, she's calm. What an incredible mirror.
She continues to have a wonderful smile and engaging personality. She is sweet, especially with her brother (except when she's tormenting him). She can turn on the tears as well as her smile at will. We love having her with us.

A few Eric-isms:

1). Eric and I were heading down to make breakfast and discussing what we should have. I suggested muffins and he asked what needed to go in them. I started to list off flour, eggs, milk... and so on. He thought for a minute and said, “We don’t need any eggs… just chocolate chips.”

2). Last month we went up to Ikea with my sister Mary and Uncle Sam. On the way home we stopped for a snack from McDonald's. Eric and Beth were eating chicken nuggets in the back seat when Eric pipes up, "Hey! Wait! I think there's chicken in here!"

3). Eric is our sweet and sensitive boy. He is loving and kind and excited about life. He still loves his trains but will play for hours with just about anything. He craves dirt. Maybe it really is built into little boys. When the weather is nice I put him out back with a bucketful of potting soil and it keeps him busy for hours. Because the weather is less friendly right now we compromise by playing at the kitchen table with a cookie sheet full of dried beans. He loves it! And we love our Eric!

Colors

I know this is upside down but it shows highlights of Beth's recent artistic endeavors. When she gets her hands on any coloring supplies (crayons, markers, pens), the first thing she goes for is her tummy. Then, depending on her mood, she may go for: coloring books (if we're lucky), any nearby books, walls, floor, etc. She's not too picky. The world is her canvas. And she's usually very proud of her work and brings it to me for inspection as soon as the damage is done.

Because I'm in Primary, I got to attend the Blue and Gold Banquet this year. For the centerpiece, we had people from the ward bake cakes. In keeping with the banquet's color scheme, I did a blue and gold cake. Ta-daa!
Just as I was finished and taking a picture, Eric walked into the kitchen and saw the cake. His expression is priceless. I couldn't have planned it any better.

This was the finished product. I really like Scouts and look forward to when Eric can participate.