Two Years Old!

Shiloh is two years old! She has an exploding vocabulary and is very much exercising her independence.

Shiloh had a Sesame Street-themed 2nd birthday party at Beeman Park in Studio City, playing with friends and spending most of the time in the Elmo jumper.

She is a dairy queen who likes orange cheese (specifically orange but will reluctantly accept white in a pinch), ice cream and frozen yogurt (preferably chocolate), chocolate milk/soymilk for a treat and butter- toast optional.

She likes to play "Dr. Medawar" where she listens to your chest and back with her toy stethoscope. One of her favorite places is the Studio City Farmer's Market where she can pet and hold animals, go on rides and eat popcorn and fruit. She likes to do "big swing" with Mimi and get thrown high up in the air. She loves "Barney-BabyBop-BJ-Riff," Sesame Street and is getting into Dora and the Wonder Pets.

We had our first trip to Disneyland in June where she was very happy to meet Mickey Mouse. She was in awe during It's a Small World and has watched what we recorded on the video camera from the ride dozens of times since.

At her two year check-up she measured in the 75th percentile for height. She can spell her name, count backwards from 10 and has counted up to 29 (though she still often times skips 7). She knows her colors and shapes and likes playing with baby dolls Danny and Bailey.

February 2009

Shiloh is such a big girl with a rapidly developing vocabulary. Of course, we think she's a genius. She knows her numbers 1-10 and probably half of the alphabet. She was babbling the other day while playing and spelled "Beaujolais" from memory having seen it on a decorative sign we have hanging in the kitchen. The previous day she impressed us by counting backwards down from 5.

Most mornings we like to search the front lawn and push any sprinklers down. Favorite foods include pancakes, grapes and cheese (and she always insists a "big piece"). She often asks if we can get "cold, cold" from the frozen yogurt shop by our house.

She loves the dog and loves to get kisses from her but also likes to lie on her, squeeze her tightly, grab her fur and sometimes swat her. We're working on being gentle...

Christmas 2008

Shiloh had so much fun in New Hampshire, celebrating Christmas with Grammy, Pops, DeDe, Uncle John and Cousin Shelbie. She liked the "cold, cold" snow, but preferred to be carried in it, and definitely did not enjoy the production of putting on the snow suit, boots, hat, etc. She was thoroughly spoiled on Christmas morning, with the biggest hits this year being a very loud wooden ball & hammer toy, TMX Elmo and her Little People Noah's Arc complete with two of just about every animal. Her favorite new books are Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? (along with Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear? but not so much Panda Bear, Panda Bear...) and the hilarious Blue Hat, Green Hat.

Fall 2008

A year and a half now, Shiloh is an excellent co-pilot in the car, saying "stop" at the sight of each red light. She had two Halloween costumes- a mouse and a pumpkin- and REALLY did not want to wear either. She loves lights and points out porch lights on our early morning and evening walks. She is especially clingy these days and often won't let her feet touch the floor when you are trying to put her down. Her hair looks so cute with barrettes but you've got to be super stealthy and have a really good distraction to put them in without her pulling them immediately out. She is starting to "count," repeating only the numbers "four, five." She already has two top molars and has gone from being a good, independent toothbrusher to resisting it at all costs. She loves to help Mommy make coffee in the mornings and scoop sugar from the sugar bowl. Pancakes or French toast with maple syrup are her favorite breakfasts.