Amelia is 2 1/2!!!

• Amelia loves to play Mom and will follow Maya around, making sure she doesn't get into anything.
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• Her favorite toys are the Snorta (game) animals and her new purple monkey Kiki. 
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• Her favorite food is chocolate chip cookies, spaghetti, and pancakes. Or cooKIES and panCAKES as she likes to say.
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• Her favorite movie is any of the Toy Story movies. But she is quickly falling in love with Aladdin and is obsessed with Princess Jasmine.
• When she is bored she asks to "Go for Walk".
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• She sits patiently in the stroller on my 3 mile walks twice a week, but definitely prefers to walk. She still runs from us every now and then, but not too often. And when she does, it's when we're least expecting it. She likes to keep us guessing.
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• When Maya is eating, she gets really upset and says, "Maya play". She likes Maya to be available to play with her at all times. 
• Tall girl.
• Amelia's favorite new word is First. I ask her to go potty, she says, "Play first". It's pretty cute, her reasoning with me. 
• She just started a playgroup where I drop her off for a few hours. I have been so impressed at how she runs right in and plays with friends, not upset at all that I'm leaving. And bonus, she's excited to see me when I pick her up and gives me big hugs and doesn't cry when it's time to leave. 
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• She just started insisting on saying prayers herself. She does so well with repeating back words.
• She puts her own shoes on and skirts and shorts. The skirts and shorts are usually backwards, which I find super cute. 
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• Potty Training update: 2 months in and she has been steady. She sits on the potty whenever I ask (I usually have to put on a timer and that will ease her into stopping play). Up until this week, she was 50% going on the potty, #1 and #2. This week she has hit a wall, and I think she goes in her diaper when I tell her I'm setting the timer to go. And then she'll sit on the potty and nothing. Little sneak! I don't know if this regression means I should stop and give her a break, or push harder and get rid of diapers so she doesn't have the opportunity to "cheat". Any thoughts?
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• She drinks a full sippy of milk in the morning and at night. She still lays down to drink it and likes to be on our lap, but it isn't mandatory like it once was. 
• She still pinches our skin when she's tired. And then she'll pretend she's eating whatever it is she pinched off our arm. Ha! I don't know where she got it from, only thing I can think is from watching me nibble Maya's little cheeks.
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• She phases in and out of knowing how to count 1 to 10 and knowing her colors. One week she will know it all and be accurate 100% of the time. The next week she'll act like it's all new. She's great with basic shapes and sorting.
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• I am so proud of the big girl she is becoming! She impresses us every day on how independent and helpful and obedient she is. I find myself expecting so much of her as if she's a mini adult, and I'm blown away when she meets those expectations. I want to focus more on realizing she is 2 and loving every aspect of that. Because I love my 2 year old girl.
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