the west of what's around: Lizzy- Two-and-a-half and counting.

We've started planning Lizzy's third birthday.

My baby is a baby no more, but she's so special and spectacular, in fact she's been known to refer to herself as Elizabeth-tastic.

So I thought I'd take a second to share some of her 2-and-a-half year old magic,

before the time has passed us by.

She's beautiful in every way.

Caring and kind.

Bashful and inquisitive.

Loving and wacky.

Loud and spunky.

ALWAYS with a song in her heart and often on her lips.

She's a daddy's girl and definitely mommy's little baby when she wants to be.

So very independent.

Somewhere late this summer, we packed up the crib one day and she's slept in the twin bed ever since. In fact, she still goes to sleep the same way she always has--She will lie down and we will pay our prayers, read a story (at night) and chat for just a moment then I leave her awake and she sings jabbers herself to sleep. She has gone through spells when napping isn't part of her routine, and I have had to be okay with that. Those spells usually last about a week or so then she can settle back in to napping for about 2 hours in the afternoon.

Lately she's become an early riser like Jay. There's just something about feeling like the day might be passing you by when you're little, so I'm okay with them getting up and going at dawn. I know one day I will have to drag her out of bed for school, so mornings with time to play, watch TV, and eat breakfast whenever are fine with me.

Still a picky or unpredictable eater--but she has slowly been turning a corner. She eats apples and bananas readily now, will snack on craisins and fruit yogurts. She loves cheese, has been trying chicken (other than nuggets) eats barbecue, turkey, cheeseburgers, cereals, tacos and pizza now. I feel like in her own timing she's coming out of her picky phase. Thank goodness!

She still loves sweets, candy and ice cream and asks for candy for at least one meal a day. :)

Sometime early this fall (sorry, baby book) she became fully potty trained. After that she became as independent as can be and some days it seems like she only needs parents because she's not tall enough to reach some things nor legally allowed to drive--other than that she could probably go her entire day with little assistance from an adult.

She is so stinkin' smart! She knows letters and shapes, colors, numbers and 20-30 sight words. She understands phonics and sounds words out, I wouldn't call it reading, but she understands letter combinations.

She sings and talks 18.5 hours a day. She'll tell me that "Shes okay for now" if I ask her if she wants something to drink. She never gives one or two word answers. It makes me laugh and a little sorry for all of the years I talked the ears off of folks when I was little. Or last week, whatever.

She loves to dance and have tea parties and is a girlie-girl to the nth degree. She loves having her nails painted and pretty clothes on and gets a touch whiny when you try to encourage her to adventure into unfamiliar places or too far into the yard.

She is terrified of fireworks and could go her whole year without seeing a fire in a fireplace. Although, she does love Cracker Barrel.....

She adores Jay, loves school and Sunday school and makes friends easily. She loves going to the beach, school, church and the mall.

We're approaching the big 3 this spring and I am excited for all this new year holds for her...but for now I am soaking in all of this little-tiny person and her sweetness and stubbornness. Time flies when we're having fun and with this little spitfire in our midst fun is never far way.