Eliza at 2 years

On her birthday, Eliza had her first sleepover, though she and her little friend slept in separate rooms.
I call this their "Bert and Ernie" picture.

Eliza never ceases to amaze us with her speech, understanding, and memory. I wish I could record every little thing she says.

Eliza always wants to choose her own clothes, at least that's what Mike tells me when I ask why she is wearing goofy outfits (he is often the one who gets her ready in the morning). If we suggest something, it's almost certain that she won't choose that item. She chooses Caleb's clothes, too, and doesn't take requests or suggestions.

While Eliza has been aware of possessions for a while, I was pleased that she was not always claiming "mine!" and hoped that she had avoided that toddler trademark. She is now pretty possessive of her things, though instead of "mine," she says "This is Liza's." She is possessive for all of us. She won't let Daddy sit in Mommy's chair and she won't wear Caleb's bibs.

Eliza has quite the foot fetish (that should give my family a good laugh... I've always been a foot person too). She goes through several pairs of sock each day. She takes her socks off in the car within seconds of being buckled in. She takes any opportunity she gets to play with her toes. If she ever notices that her socks are dirty she takes them off to get another pair. She likes to clean between her toes and admire (or whine about) any "owies" on her feet. She has been milking a particular toe owie for what seems like a month. She won't get it wet in the tub and she makes all of us give it a kiss regularly (even Caleb and all of her babies).

When Mike was up with Eliza in the morning a few weeks ago, they watched My Friends Tigger and Pooh for the first time (I guess Mike was tired of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse). When I woke up Eliza told me they watched "teddy bear." I asked her what the teddy bear's name was and she told me "shampoo!"

Eliza has been praying well on her own. We used to have her repeat each individual word after us, but now she does quite a bit on her own. She says "Dear Heavenly Father" then I help her with "We thank thee for.. and for... and for..." which she repeats after me, then fills in the blank herself. She usually says things like family, Jesus, Mommy, Daddy, Caleb, church, and food. It is fun when she fills in the blanks with things I have never had her repeat, like "for my bike" or for specific friends.

At her 2-year check-up, Eliza weighed 33 lbs 10 oz (~97th percentile), she was 36 inches tall (~95th percentile), and her head circumference was also around the 95th percentile. She still our big little girl.

Eliza loves doing the dishes. Helping do the dishes is the next best thing.

Eliza is posing here by an outline of her body after a Family Home Evening lesson about our bodies.

Eliza is the pantry destroyer. She goes in and closes the door, then takes everything off the shelves in privacy.

Sometimes she makes precarious towers of baby food jars.

Eliza prefers to carry around my diaper bag, but hers is the next best thing.

We are ready for some terrific twos!