Miss Sydney James 2 1/2 years

I know it's such a cliche way to start a post, but I really can't believe how big my little girl is getting. Part of it is because all humans look gargantuan next to our little man, but she's growing into such a fun little person these days. A few notes to capture our little miss at 2 and 1/2:

• She loves bugs right now and can often be found squatting in the yard saying, "Look at that bug, Mom!" as though she's found gold. She's also into asking everyone/everything's name and so often the bugs get a name. Last week her auntie named a worm Willy and Willy was loved, perhaps to death, all afternoon.
• She often skips and hops across the room and has taken to dancing "like a butterfly" or a ballerina (just like her Auntie Heather). It is quite cute and makes me want to ignore my nature and buy her frilly pink things to prance about in. Since she seems happy to flit about in a pullup half the time, I think I'll be saved from my odd temptation.
• Sydney loves music and has started making up songs as she goes through her day, just like her daddy does. She tried to teach me one of her songs the other day, but I just couldn't seem to get it right and kept hearing, "No Mom, like this..." from the backseat. Often the songs go something like, "I'm playing in my room...with my dolly...her name is Lola..." or they have made up words in them, which is why poor Mommy can't sing them.
• After the initial horrors of life with a new sibling and a house full of guests, Sydney has become a very sweet big sister and cannot kiss and hug and pat her brother enough. She is really good at throwing away his diapers and she is an expert burper. If she could hold him all day, I think she would.
• Sydney says hilarious things just about every day and it's impossible to remember them all. I wish I could tape her as we drive in the car, because that's when some of the cutest things come out of that sweet little mouth. One of my favorites from last week was when I was giving her a big girl potty pep talk and I was listing all the cool people who go potty on the big girl potty--my mom, my sisters-- and before I could get further in my big girl list, she exclaimed, "And Grampa Jim!" Yes, my dad goes potty on the big girl potty too.
• I put her in pigtails or a pony tail most days because she is ridiculously cute in them and on the days when she has too many opinions or does something ornery, looking right at me to make sure it bugs me, having her in piggies helps me remember how much I love her.

I think I could go on for way too long, but wanted to mark a big girl milestone...
When my sis was visiting, Sydney played on her floor during naptime until she basically passed out in the middle of the floor. There is a similar picture of me sleeping in my toy box around this age.