Toddler laws

This is in honor of Tempe, my very own little two-year-old, who really does think this way.

If I like it, it's mine.
If it's in my hand, it's mine.
If I can take it from you, it's mine.
If I had it a little while ago, it's still mine.
If it looks just like mine, it's mine.
If I think it's mine, it's mine.
If it's broken.. it's yours.

To celebrate her second birthday (which was really a few weeks ago on September 10th), Margaret did a photo shoot for us today, and I thought I'd post about Tempe to go along with the pictures. So here's everything you ever wanted to know about our firstborn:

• She never stops talking. Ever. She talks from the moment she wakes up in the morning until she falls asleep at night. Those of us who are around her a lot can understand most of what she says, but to the rest of you, well... good luck. Her favorite topics of conversation (this week, at least) are race cars, monster trucks, yucky houses and clean houses, baby apples, and Grandma Lisa.
• She picks things up so quickly! I only have to tell her something once, and she remembers it for weeks. She connects a lot of things on her own now, too. For example: when we were visiting my parents in July, she became obsessed with "A Pocket for Corduroy", in which the main character is named Lisa. I mentioned to her that Lisa is Grandma's name, too, and she just stared at me blankly. But the next morning when my mom was feeding her breakfast, Tempe suddenly burst out with "Lisa! Grandma Lisa!" My mom has been Grandma Lisa ever since.
• She has a very vivid imagination. She imagines all kinds of things--that the swings in the backyard are ladybugs that fly her to Grandma Lisa's house, that she's riding an elephant when she sits on the arm of the couch, that we are at the zoo watching lions and giraffes and elephants when we sit on the front steps...
• She is just as independent as she has ever been. I hear a lot of "No, Tempe do it!" nowadays. Like all two-year-olds, she throws tantrums now and again, and they are most often because I won't let her do something by herself.
• She still naps for 2-3 hours almost every day (not today, though--I can hear her reading books to Giraffe in her bed).
• Speaking of Giraffe, she loves him so much! He is her best friend and her baby and we can't go anywhere without "Grashie".
• Her favorite pastime is still reading. She likes to be read to, but she also likes to read books by herself. She has most of her books memorized and will fill in words if we skip them.
• She is an almost equal mix of a girly-girl and a tomboy: she loves to wear necklaces, bracelets, bows in her hair, and makeup, but she also loves racecars and monster trucks and isn't afraid to get dirty and play outside.
• Most of all, she is a spunky, smart, loving little girl and we are so blessed to have her!

I'll post the slideshow of pictures separately, but I just wanted to say again how grateful we are to Margaret for doing such great pictures of our family! She is so talented and we're so lucky that she loves taking pictures. Really, check her out: www.inksprouts.com, or Margaretephotography.blogspot.com!