I like everything!

"Hi cat! What are you doing here?"

This is what Charlotte says whenever the cat enters the room. It's her new favorite sentence. At the park yesterday a poor little girl was terrified by Lala constantly yelling at her "HI GIRL!! What are you doing here?" It's like a toddler inquisition. I think she means, What's up? What are you doing? But the way she says it is hilarious (and a bit intimidating).

The other favorite Charlotte phrase is "SO CUTE!" Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is SO CUTE. No, I'm sorry, it's "AW, SO CUTE!" Among the 'cute' items recently: the buttons on my shirt, every animal at the zoo, my earrings, her chicken tenders, the cat, the mole on my face, all babies, and pinecones.

Katie is equally dramatic with the phrase "I missed you!" I don't think she understands what it means to 'miss' something. Because she misses everything. She will tell me 10 times a day "Mommy, I missed you!" when I've been sitting there in the same spot for the last hour. She says it very dramatically, with a tilt of the head, and then gives whatever it is she 'missed' a big hug. Besides me, today alone she told her green pacifier, Chocolate Cheerios and her new sneakers how much she's missed them (complete with big sigh and hug).

Katie 'likes' everything too. Even things she doesn't really like, she likes to say she likes. If it's edible. For example, Max and Ruby are talking about apples, she will say "Mmmmm, I LIKE APPLES!" and rub her tummy. She will do this for anything. Carrots, cake, green beans, lettuce, cupcakes, any food she will emphatically say she likes it. I find myself doing it. Absentmindedly replying to people who offer me coffee "Mmm, I like coffee!"

Now, I have these two PEOPLE to spend my days with. Not babies, but real live thinking talking funny funny funny little people. It is SO.FUN. The weather here suddenly went from snow to spring. Over the last week we've gone to the zoo, a parade, a children's museum, malls, stores, parks, playzones, restaraunts, the firehouse, gotten ice cream, visited Katie's long dreamed about cupcake store and while it hasn't all been easy (and we did have one or two Katie tantrums) it's been so insanely fun.

I love two year olds. If you don't have a two year old in your life, borrow one (or two). Take them to the park, buy them an ice cream and just revel in the pure joy that comes with being two. And when the tantrum starts because she didn't really want sprinkles on her ice cream after all..... you can just bring her home.