Ashley

Ashley at two years old can:

Draw tiny, perfect circles

Identify all the colors

Identify the basic shapes

Identify all animals (except for obscure ones) and sounds

Kick a ball

Jump with both feet quite a ways off the ground

Scale the rock climbing wall at the playground

Ride a tricycle (provided she can reach the pedals)

Sing several songs

Get herself completely undressed

Sit and listen to stories for at least 30 minutes

Talk in complete sentences

Match/sort anything correctly

Eat messy things with a spoon and bowl and not get it all over the place

Open doors

Things about Ashley I don't want to forget:

The way she skips around, singing nonsensical little songs when she's happy.

How she always wants me to cuddle her and sing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" before I tuck her into bed.

Whenever I ask her what she would like to eat, she says, "Candy!"

She loves the playground and will be the first to point one out, even if it is someone's private backyard equipment.

How she shouts, "Mommy, come here!" when she wants me to see something. If I don't come right away, she will find me, take my hand, and lead me there while saying "come with me, Mommy. Come with me."

She still thinks if I kiss her injury it will be magically healed.

If I ask her to do something she says cheerfully, "Kay!"

She loves Mommy and Baby pairs, especially of animals, and shows great sympathy if they are separated.

She is interested in bugs and flies, but if one touches her she will inevitably freak out.

When she is following Everett around, she will walk exactly as he walks, exactly the places he walks, and touch exactly the same things, even if she is a full two minutes behind him.

She has been going through a Mommy phase where she prefers that I, rather than Joel, do things for/with her.

She alternates between saying "No, Mommy do it" (see above statement) and "No, I do it byself"

If you tell her she is getting something she hoped for, she will dance around, clap or raise her hands, and merrily say YAAAAY!

If you talk curtly to Ashley and then try to ask her what she wanted/needed, she will avoid eye contact with you, stick out her lip a little, and refuse to tell you. This is not out of spite; it is out of sensitivity and shyness.

Anything Ashley has picked up (ie colors/shapes) she has absorbed all by herself. She is always quick to understand and remember new information.