Per usual, I am way behind on my updates, but I want to make sure I jot down a few things about my sweet little girl.  I can already feel myself forgetting her smallness.  I can barely remember Ethan at this age.

Noelle recently started preschool (1 day a week) and is doing wonderfully.  She is with 5 other kids her age.  So far, my goals have been accomplished.  One, I wanted her to get used to being away from me.  She now goes to her classroom without crying and is happy to be there!  She has wonderful, loving teachers that take her to music class and outside to play each week.  My second goal was for her to be around kids who are talking more (instead of having Ethan talk for her all the time) and whether it is working or just coincidence, her speech has really improved over the past few months.  She has started saying Mama, Dada, hat (ha), goggles (gaga) all done (ah da), and her new favorite, uh oh.  She will also stop what she’s doing when she sees a phone come out and say “cheeeeee.”  She will constantly have conversations in her own little language and tell us some big story, but we are glad she is saying a few words of English now!

Noelle is becoming a bit more picky when it comes to eating (apparently big brother is a bad influence).  She is still more adventurous than him, but her “almost two” personality is bringing out some drama.  She will refuse to eat things or “uh oh” them on the floor.  She can usually be tricked into trying new things and will then give an enthusiastic “emmmmmmmm!”

Noelle seems to be a bit of a tom boy.  She loves playing with cars and trains and all other big brother toys.  Her interest in dolls ends at poking them in the eyes and throwing them on the floor.  She loves driving cars around on the floor.  She loves being outside and playing on the playground.  She has some very impressive climbing skills.  She also loves playing with the iPad, and is quite the iPad master.  She can navigate it much more skillfully than any 21 month old should.  About the only time she will have an absolute meltdown is when I take it away from her or tell her she can’t play with it.  She is usually still determined and will try to snatch it when I’m not looking, and then bang on it in hopes that she can get it unlocked.  In fact, she just recently disabled it for an hour after so many failed attempts to unlock it!

Noelle still has such a happy, content personality.  I sometimes forget how easy and fun she is.  She is happy to be along for any adventure we go on, but she is also happy quietly playing in (or destroying) the play room.  We love the sweet little toddler she is turning into!