Two.Nine Years

2.9 Years

• Well, JoJo is staying. You have asked us several times if we get to keep her. Yes we do. Although you love everything about her, I have noticed some struggles with you. Since staying at home more, you seem to get sad and emotional a bit more. You were just start crying over the littlest thing. I will ask you what you want to do, and you will replied "nothing". I have been trying to spend more time with you, but I understand it can be hard. With the weather colder and me not wanting to host a ton of people due to JoJo, we have been swapping babysitting with Little Annie, your best friend. You absolutely love those days. You two are just so nice to each other, coming up with cute little games, and always really happy.
• The big news of this month is that you are potty trained!!! I have been dragging my feet about this, but then I found a week with not much going on so we tried it. You have the been the best potty trainer yet. There have been a few accidents, but really by day two, I stopped asking you to go because you would just go on your own. You have stayed dried for every nap and will be close to night time soon. You love your underwear (though I had to order the next size up because the Minnie Mouse ones are a bit tight on you). We were able to go to Lewiston the next week, and it was a breeze, even after giving you your own cup of soda pop. 
• "I have a privacy bum!" You love the idea that you can say that you have a privacy bum and that it gives you permission to do whatever you want in the bathroom by yourself with the door closed. Most of the time, you will just wash your hands for 10 minutes, other times there is water all over the place. I guess that is what I get for raising an independent girl.
• This month has been a lot of fun with the holidays coming. We spent a week in Oregon for Thanksgiving. Instead of playing football, we went over to Woodburn High and had a massive dodgeball tournament with your cousins and their friends. Uncle Dusty had 5 different versions of the game that even you could play. We ate our big dinner at Grandma's and spent the rest of the night playing with cousins. On Friday, we went to Silver Creek Falls for a cold hike and ended at Annie's house for hot soup afterwards. Saturday, we all met up at the movie theater to watch Frozen two, which the kids enjoyed. Though on the drive home, all three of you were singing, "Into the **fart sound**". Dad and I were laughing so hard because that is what we thought of the movie. The dads were in charge of dinner that night while moms went out. Sunday, we blessed JoJo. Monday, you kids went on a date with Grandma and Papa to the lego store and then McDonalds afterwards. The weather warmed up that day, so we spent the rest of the time outside where you went down the zip line a hundred times, swing, and playing with the trucks in the sand box.

Two.Eight Years

2.8 Years

• Well, it's baby month. I love how you come up to my belly and yell, "baby, get out!" It is started to feel real with you as we set up the car seat in the van, pulled out the baby swing and bouncer, and washed the baby clothes and blankets. You understand that it is for sister but you also have taken the opportunity as getting new things for your baby dolls. I walk down the playroom to find two babies in the swing and a the blankets wrapped up in the doll crib. I get kicked out of sister's room because baby Hannah is taking a nap in the crib.
• Your Doc McStuffins love is growing more each day. You ask to watch the show everyday, and could watch the baby episode over and over if I let you. Your costume came in the mail and that entertained you all morning long, using the new doctor toys on all the baby dolls. You even wore your coat to my last appointment. 
• Grandma Price came to get ready for sister to come. Since sister is late, you were to have a few days with just Grandma. The weather is colder so we have been finding indoor activities to do. We took Grandma bowling, watched the BYU game, gone for lots of bundled walks, and you took her to jungle gyms. 
• Baby sister-Joanna Bennett-was born on Oct 22. Grandma was able to watch you during the day. After dinner, she brought you guys over to meet her. You were really curious about her, not knowing yet what to think of her. You did want to hold her, but like every two year old, held her for about 30 seconds before saying she was too heavy. The belly button got your thinking, wondering why it looked funny and kind of grossed out by it also. We brought her home the next day and you have loved her ever since. You have asked us several time, "Do we get to keep her?" Yes, yes we do! One way that you have processed this new change has been getting more attached to baby Hannah. You want to feed Hannah while I am feeding JoJo. You like using JoJo's diapers for your baby. I feel like I have had twins because there is double the baby mess. But overall, you really love her and are so sweet with her. 
• Grandma time has been awesome-so many crafts and books. Grandma Price likes getting out so you have been to the library about every other day and have been spoiled with lots of treats. She brought you a gift of a stuffed puppy (funny because when you went to nursery that Sunday after JoJO was born, they asked if you had a new baby and you said no, you got a new puppy). Grandma was even able to stay for the ward Trunk or Treat. It was so freezing that night and the whole thing was outside. Dad was able to meet us there so he took you around to all the games after the candy. You had brought your snow mittens but had taken them off and on about 50 times in a course of 30 minutes. 
• Grandma and Grandpa Matthews came right after Grandma Price left. I think it would have been better if you had a few days in between with just us, but Dad had a busy weekend, so they came to help out with that. Because of the no break, you were getting finished with grandparents and weren't as excited to see them. They still took you out to jungle gym and story time. Grandma did some crafts with you and made lots of yummy treats. The weather was better and I was feeling better, so we were able to go to the park a few times together. 

Two.Seven Years

2.7 Years

• I have absolutely loved having this one-on-one time with you. When we go out, I like to call you "mommy's buddy". You end up teasing both dad and me by switching your labels, telling dad that you are mommy's princess and telling me that you are daddy's buddy. You absolutely love to tease. This month, we haven't one anything too special, but we have a great routine. After the kids leave for school, we read a book or two, eat breakfast, and then I turn on Doc McStuffins music while I get ready for the day. Every week, we go to the library for story time, help out in Sam's class, visit the baby doctor, and play with friends. After lunch, we snuggle on the bed, read books, and take naps together. I will cherish these naps with you. When I am singing you a song, you start to trace along my face. After naps, we cuddle up on the couch and watch Doc McStuffin show. 
• Speaking of Doc McStuffins, you are all about baby doctors right now. When we go to my OB appointments, you tow around your doll in your backpack so you can examine her while we wait. Tema (our OB) lets you hold the doppler to hear the heart beat. Because of this, you now want to be Doc McStuffins/Baby doctor for Halloween. I am waiting a while to order anything to see if you will change your mind though.
• Soccer season is in full force and Maggie has been your designated babysitter while I am with Sam's team. You love going to soccer because usually your have a few friends there. Your favorite thing is to go over to the bike park, take off your socks and shoes and climb up the wall. It is getting colder, but that doesn't stop you. It was hard at first for let me play with the kids because there are times that I can't see you from the field, but you have such a good time and Maggie is good about staying with you.
• Favorite: food-mac-n-cheese and fruit; book-baby board books; song-Doc McStuffin pandora station, indoor activity-wrestle with daddy; outdoor activity-being pushed on the baby swings; friend-Little Sam, Lainey and Gus, and Annie; color-pink; animal-puppies and kitties

Two.Six Years

2.6 Years

• You are getting to be spunkier than ever. You love to tease people. The other day, you came up to me and told me that you were going to eat me, and then pretended to eat my cheek off. In church, you tell dad, "I'm going to eat your fruit snacks!" Also, you like to "kill" us. You will pretend to shot us and say, "Bang, you're dead". Or you will throw pillows at dad and say, "you're dead". 
• Dress up to coming on strong. You had a late start to wanting to play dress up, but now I often find you come up the stairs right before dinner in a princess dress and high heels. Tutus will often be slipped under shirts and dresses and try to get worn outside of the house. 
• Babies are still your favorite, but honestly, you like toys in general, more than the other kids at your age. I was hoping to get rid of some of the younger boy toys since Sam is in school, but then I come downstairs to find you playing little trains and blocks. You like both girly toys (babies and barbies) but also don't mind Sam's toys (cars and trains). The latest play game that you like is playing doctor. We were at a friend's house when I heard a bedroom door slam. I went in to find you with your shirt up and Little Sam playing doctor with you as his patient. Good thing you are only two, so it is cute and not inappropriate yet.
• Maggie and Sam started school this month. You were so sad that first day.. You had your back pack on and honestly thought that you were going to go with them. I have been having fun spending the day with just us. I call you my buddy (though you tease me and say that you are dad's buddy and not mine). I have been trying hard to come up with fun preschool activities for you, such as play dough, painting, stringing beads). 
• Taking naps have been a struggle for you. I thought if I lay down in Maggie's bed when I put you down, it would help you fall asleep. It worked for two days, but soon I would fall asleep and then wake up to find you either playing barbies or changing your clothes. You are still too young to not be napping, trust me, I can tell you need it while throwing a third fit in the afternoon. After three days in a row of not napping, I finally brought you up to the guest room and laid down in the bed with you. We are going on a week straight of napping again, and I really like the cuddle time with you. 

Two.Five Years

2.5 Years

• According to you: favorite-cereal, book-a baby book, show-PJ Mask, indoor activity-playing books, outdoor activity-play with your shovel, song-Doc McStuffin Song, color-pink, friend-my little friend (Canyon Potter), princess-Tiana
• This month, we went to Ashton, Idaho with your Matthews cousins. You were so happy to play with Bonnie everyday. Each morning, the first thing you asked for was "Where's Bonnie?" Hazel brought a lot of her dolls and babies, which made you in heaven. There was a pond in the backyard with lots of kayaks that we got to go on. I was really enjoyable to have you ride in the front of the kayak and go around the island. You would lean over to one side and run your fingers in the running water. We visited Yellowstone and Bear World. You had a special morning with Grandma and Bonnie while the older kids floated down the river. There was a lot of treats for you sneak and endless chocolate milk. You really loved it there. 
• We spent 10 days in Oregon with Price cousins. Sonora was a big hit for you. You two would run off to the sandbox or sneak upstairs to play barbies. Grandma got to read you bedtime books, and you kept coming out of Grandpa's office with hug handfuls of jellybeans. Grandpa made a zip line that the older cousins were able to help take you down. We went to the beach for a day where we went crabbing and played at the beach. I was impressed how brave you were with the water, keeping asking me to go further and further at in the waves. We went at low tide, so there were all these puddles left in the sand which you played in like a bath tub. 
• The garden is growing each day. You will get your boots on and help me out there, mostly because you know that you get to eat the strawberries and raspberries that are ripe. After "helping" pull weeds, you and the older kids will play school in the hay. 
• The other night at dinner, you were having a hard time eating your food (you are in more picky eater phase right now) so I asked you how old you were so you can take that many bites. You told me you were eleven, such a random number. So I did mystery animal game and sure enough you ate about 11 bites.

Two.Four Years

2.4 Years

• Swimming has started this month. We got a pass to the pool. Last year, you loved the water but were always frustrated because you couldn't swim on your own. This summer, with the help of a puddle jumper, you can swim on your own. However, each time we go, you spend less and less time in the water. I don't think you like cold water at all. It makes me sad because the first time, you liked going down the little slide, but now, you scream when I try to get you to go down. After about 20-30 minutes, you ask to "wrap up in a towel." You like playing with the diving toys while sitting out on a towel.
• You are starting to have you transition into Maggie's room. At first, we would just have you sleep down there twice a week, but by the end of the month, you are down there every night. You still take naps upstairs, but once the kids go to school, I will bring you down there for naps.
• The older kids have been busy getting their summer charts done each morning, and you want to be just like them and work on something. When they get their math books out, you ask for your math book, which is just a notebook that you draw in. Your drawings are getting better each day. Sometimes I will even have you practice tracing basic shapes.
• Your love for babies just keep increasing each day. Every baby is named "Baby Tatoo" including the baby in my tummy. You love putting them to sleep in your crib with the noise on, change their diapers (I find lots of clean wipes and diapers in the trash), take them for walks in the stroller, change their clothes, feed them. I even found you one day having a tea party with some of the babies. You set up the white end table downstairs and figured out how to fill the teapot with water. It made a bit of a mess. You have to take one, if not two babies with you into the car.
• Fourth of July was fun with you. You loved the parade. There was a white line on the side of the road, and you would right on the line and wave. I loved watching you get excited about every piece of candy. We had dinner at a friends house and let off fireworks. You liked the fireworks, but got nervous about holding the sparklers. We ended the night with the rodeo. You laughed when they "wrestled" with the cows.
• Favorites: food-milk (though you call it milky), book-ABC Animals (you will usually pick one book from that week's library trip and have me read it 100 times, then the next week, it will be something else), show-puppy dog pals, indoor activity-playing with babies, outdoor activity-jumping on the trampoline, song-you stopped wanting us to sing to you, princess-probably Ariel and Rapunzel.

Two.Three Years

2.3 Years

• We were able to go to Utah this month. You have become quite a good little traveler lately. While in Utah, we got a lot of Grandma time, played at the Dinosaur park, visited the touch and feel aquarium, went to the movies to watch How to Train a Dragon 3, and played a lot outside. We kept you up way late so we you sleeping in until almost 9 each morning. You loved all the chocolate milk from Grandma. 
• We set up the garden this month. It was a lot of work so we tried to include you guys. The corn may be spaced only one inch. Also, you really wanted to help with corn, and ended up spilling half the bag in one spot and now we have a patch that looks like carrot grass. One of your favorite parts of working in the garden is spraying the hose. It is inevitable that you are soaked and muddy after each trip down there. 
• You have started coloring and drawing more, especially since Maggie and Sam have started their summer charts. Your drawings are getting a bit more recognizable. You love to draw our family, usually a circle with some lines coming out of it. 
• You finally got most of your colors down. Whenever I tried to practice with you, it didn't help. So we just read lots of books and eventually you just started saying the correct color. Your favorite color is still pink. 
• Babies are still your favorites. I find diapers all over your room because you have been "changing" your stuff animals diapers. You are loving this baby sister of yours. You will come up to me and say, "I want to hold baby!" You will then hug my baby and say, "Baby pop out!" I love it when you sing Twinkle Twinkle and ABC to her.
• One way we are getting ready for sister to get here is for you to start sharing a room with Maggie. You are both loving it. We haven't moved you down there all the way, but about half the time you are sleeping down there. The first time, we tucked you in, gave you a few books and left. Maggie had the reading light, but told us that she didn't have it on too long. Your dad and I were watching TV when around 10pm we heard the Watson racoon start talking. I walked down there, and there you are playing with all the toys in the family room. I went to put you back in bed but the main light was on (Maggie was fast asleep still). You had pushed the chair up to the light, and then played with the barbies ALL OVER THE ROOM. I took you back to the pack and play in your room (I had to set it up since you can crawl out of your crib). You cried for 30 minutes. I didn't know you could be awake that long.

Two.Two Years

2.2 Years

• Grandma and Papa Price came to visit us this month. You were shy at first but after Grandma offer to read you a book, you only wanted Grandma and Papa for everything. We went to Hammer Creek with them, visited Creme Cafe and the library, had an epic art morning with Grandma, had a movie night with Papa, and read so many books. You loved holding Grandma's hand and wanted to sit with just her during church.
• Easter was also this month. We tried focusing on Christ the week before, but lets be honest, you are all over the place when we try to read the scriptures so the chances that you got anything out of that spiritual week is slim to nothing. 
• Being pregnant has been so fun with you. You really love babies, but you do not believe me when I say that there is a baby in my tummy. Every time I mention it, you tell me "no, baby is in my tummy." Lately, you have been into changing babies diapers, and I mean babies in a very loose term. I will find that you put a diaper on your doll and hop hop bunny. I will also find clean diapers with a clean wipe folded up in the trash but you tell me that the diaper is poopy. It is sweet how you will tuck these babies into your crib and then turning on the noise and turning off the light. You will shut the door and tell me "shhh baby is sleeping." 
• You are a candy monster. Twice I have found you in Maggie's room eating her candy. You were being so quiet downstairs, I just thought you were looking through books. When I came down there to check on you, you walk out of Maggie's room with chocolate all over your face, with a big smile, and tell me "eat Maggie's candy!" No remorse. What a stinker.

Two.One Years

2.1 Years

• We were able to go to Arizona this month. It was the first time you flew in a plane. On the way there, there was another little girl sitting behind us that you played peek-a-boo with and shared your toys with her. You loved staying at Brooke and Steve's because they had so many girl toys. We went to a fun train park where we rode on a train and carousal, ate at chic-fil-a (though you wondered off three times and it was the same lady who had to keep telling us that you took off-how embarrassing), hiked "Hole in the Rock (you loved climbing the rocks all by yourself), visited the zoo, and went to tons of parks. It felt so good be outside for the weekend.
• We had lots of birthdays this month, including yours. We kept yours low key, served mac-n-cheese with hot dogs for dinner and had a Minnie Mouse cake. Dad and I gave you a Little Tike slide which was a big hit. Sam and Maggie gave you the Princess cupcake game. Grandma Price gave you a doodle pad for church, and Grandma Matthews gave you a matching dress with Maggie and a book with a stuff animal that talks. Sam's birthday was next. He had a party at home that you tagged along with and we ended with Maggie's party at Jungle Gym, which you loved! 
• Uncle Dusty's family came to visit us. You loved having Sonora around. You two were really cute together. We played at Hammer Creek (probably your favorite place to visit because it is a giant sandbox), went sledding down at fish creek, visited he library and Creme cafe, played at the park, and went ice fishing at Winchester lake. I am excited to see you and Sonora grow up together.
• The next family that came to visit was Uncle Joey's family. We did a lot of the same things but instead of going fishing, we went hiking with them to Lucille caves and the fish hatchery trail. They don't have any kids your age but you love being around the big kids, plus Auntie Emily loves babies so she would cuddle with you a lot and read you books.
• Your favorite song right now is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Not only do we have to sing it every nap and every bedtime, but you beg Maggie to sing it every time we are in the car. Those siblings sure love you because they must have sang that song over 100 times.
• Whenever I have you climb in the van by yourself, you immediately run to the back seat to be like one of the big kids. It has turned into this game, seeing how long you can be back there before I notice and grab you. 
• Favorites-food: milk, mac-n-cheese, blueberries; color: pink; song: Twinkle Twinkle; show: PJ Mask or Mickey Mouse; book: Curious George lift the flap book; indoor activity: play princesses or babies; outdoor activity: pulling out the sand toys and playing in the rocks

Two Years Old

2 Years Old

Dear Millie,

Instead of making a list of all your new accomplishments or funny moments, I like to take the time at your birthday and express to you how much I love you. This year has been so fun to see you grow and develop who you are. You have learned how to walk, how to talk, how to sit on your brother's face, how to push out a toot to be funny, how to give a squeeze hug, how to tell a knock knock joke, and how to be the cutest daddy's little girl. You are strong, independent, and full of happiness. You truly love making others laugh.

One of my favorite things about you is your drive to figure things out. In the mornings, you are the one that gets yourself dress. Some of your clothes can be a challenge to put on, but that doesn't stop you. It is you that has to put on your shoes, spoon your cereal, help chop up the lettuce, and put the soap in the dishwasher. At times, this can get out of balance and can be frustrating to me (especially when we are in a hurry), but in all reality, it is your greatest strengths. I hope that as you go through life, you do not let who you are, where you are from, and what you know limit what it is that you want to achieve. I know you are only two years old, but great things are destined for you Millie because of your determination and hard work.

Can I just say how beautiful you are. Your hair is still in that awkward stage of growing out after Sam's hair cut on you, and majority of the time you have a messy face and literal dirt on your clothes, but the moment you smile, all the evidence of your fun and crazy life fade away and you just shine. Your dimples and bright eyes get me every time. You can be smearing spaghetti across your chair, but the moment you smile, I think, "oh my, she is so adorable". As you grow, remember that cloths make your cute, but your heart and smile make you beautiful.

I love you so much Millie, and I am excited to see what this next year entails for you.

Love, Mom

Twenty Three Months

23 Months

• We got a swim pass this month to the pool. The water to the big pool is too cold for you, so you end up running back to the hot tub the whole time. Your favorite was sitting on the top step and playing with the bubbles. Towards the end of the month, you got brave enough with the cold water to start jumping in all by yourself like the big kids. 
• I love watching your language increase. You finally can say Sam. Before, you would always say "Hams", but I have been working with you on the "s" sound. For some reason, it is easier for you to say Sammy than Sam. 
• Your favorite song right now is Twinkle Twinkle. You make your siblings sing it to you over and over again whenever we get in the car. Your favorite is when we sing it in a deep voice with our lips in a tight circle. That always gets you laughing.
• You are very determined to do things by yourself. The most common thing you say is, "No. ME ME ME!" This includes getting dressed and buckling up in the car. I have to plan extra time with clothes because you insist on getting dress by yourself, get frustrated when you can't do your shirt, ask me for help, I just touch your shirt and you think that is enough help, so then you try to do it yourself again, then you come back to me, and this cycle continues on for a while. Sometimes you figure you, other times I have to force the shirt on you and you throw a big fit afterwards that you didn't get to do it by yourself.
• You love babies. I often find lean diapers in your trash because you will "change" the diaper on your baby and throw away the diaper when there is "poo poo" in it. It is common to find dried up wipes on your floor because you changed the baby or gave the baby a bath.
• You are so fine just playing by yourself. I often find you reading books in your rocking chair and cooking up something in your kitchen.
• You are one of the best snuggle buddies. I love on slow mornings having you crawl into my bed and snuggle up and read books. There are these baby book from the library (Baby Eat, Baby Cuddle, Baby Move) that are your absolute favorites to read.

Twenty Two Months

22 Months

• It was a fun month celebrating Christmas. I often found you by the Christmas tree playing with an ornament, even though the tree was really prickly. A few times I had to stop you from opening up the presents. But your favorite part of the decorations was the musical snow globe that Grandma Price gave you. You would climb up the piano and turn on the music of both snow globes. The music was loud and a bit annoying when played together, but thankfully they both survived.
• The snow keeps coming and you are really starting to love sledding. We go down the hill off our driveway, and it is the perfect hill for you. You also pull out all the snow toys and truck and plop down in the snow and play for a while. We have a tradition that after playing outside, we will come in for hot chocolate. You get so excited about hot cocoa, but will only drink maybe half your cup.
• We took you to see Santa twice this month and both times you were weary of him. You didn’t mind him if there was a distance between you and him, but the moment that he got close, you were clamp onto one of us. The cutest thing is that you never said Santa, you always called him “Ho Ho Ho”.
• It was so good this year to have Dad home for all of the Christmas season. Christmas Eve morning came and we went to the nursing home to visit the residents. You found the box of toys and made yourself at home. The residents loved just watching you play, they don’t get many babies around. It was good to say hello to other people’s grandmas since we can’t see our own. We ended the night with our Christ meal (fish, bread, olives, and grape juice), reenacted the nativity (you were Mary), and opened up our Christmas pajamas. We set out our cookies for Santa, though you may have snuck one, and was about to go to bed when we heard something. We went outside and heard “Ho Ho Ho” along with jingle bells. It was so fun to see you three excited about Santa.
• Christmas was wonderful and relaxing. You could care less about the presents in your stocking, you were just excited about the candy and had most of it eaten by 11am. You received a drawing pad from Santa and Dad and I gave you books, a cute outfit (which you were so excited to put on right then), and dad made you a darling baby bed. Maggie gave you a Minnie Mouse dress up puzzle and Sam gave you a little baby doll.
• We stayed home the next day, playing with new toys, watched a movie, and got ready for our trip to Utah. The drive to Utah went well. We were able to see all our cousins, go sledding in Mantua, have the big Matthews family Christmas party, and even visit our friends in Ogden. You really loved asking Papa for Jelly beans and eating all the yummy foods that Grandma baked.