Violet Ann Eloise Lewicki turns 2

Oh Violet,
What an incredible journey we've traveled together the last 2 years.  I remember playing with your brother when he wasn't even a year yet, thinking, "I love him so much, and I think I can't wait to meet my next baby.  I can't wait to love him/her too!"  ...and 5 months later we found out we were having a girl, and our love story began. :)  I love you sweet Violet.  You challenge me, you make me claustrophobic at times, and you always make me tired, and I am so grateful for each of those facts!  You are also hilarious, so cuddly, and stink'n adorable.  I'm grateful for those things too :)

It is so hard to sum up all that personality in just a few paragraphs...but I'll try...

First of all, you are kind of naughty.  You try to be naughty as a joke, but you aren't fooling this Momma and daddy, you just want to see how much you can get away with before you get in trouble.  On a positive note, you are starting to respond  when I change my tone, or say "obey", or give "that look".  You also respond rather quickly to your Daddy's voice, or slight muscle movement that he is coming to talk to you to let you know how important it is that you obey the first time :)...You are also starting to show slight signs of remorse when you get punished, and this is a huge step for us...I was getting worried!

You are soooo talkative!  You are starting to tell the best of stories, and stick "and then..." in whenever you're afraid you're loosing my attention. You are very expressive with your eyes which is difficult for me.  You can turn on your - cute/silly/joking/serious/etc - self, whenever you want. So cute, and so tricky!

I think you just went through a growth spurt which is awesome cause I don't think you really grew from 14 months - 22 months.  You little peanut!  It seems as though you shall be short like your Momma, but thats ok...Step stools exist for a reason. :)

You are the Village cuddle bug and a few of our good friends, Kara, Bethany and Gwen get the privilege of cuddling with you when Momma can't get you to sleep.  Unfortunately this is a frequent issue in the Lewicki house, Violet not going to sleep for Momma when Daddy is out studying...But on a frustratingly positive note, you will go to sleep for multiple other people, Daddy, Nany and a handful of close friends...just not Momma.  Tonight was a first, I let you go to sleep with milk.  It worked like a charm.  When we come back from Christmas break in the midwest we're revamping your sleep training, and if you can't sleep in your big girl bed, I think we're going to have to set up the pack n play for a while...I'm not sure who needs it more, your character development or my sleep schedule!

You love shoes - mostly other peoples shoes, and cheese, your baby, playing with hair, singing Jesus loves me, Eloise Wilkins "Timmy is a Big Boy", Princess books (and really princess anything!), talking on the phone, anything you're not supposed to have, and at the top of list: chocolate eggs.  I can use them as bribery for pretty much anything...Sadly I have stopped because we were afraid your teeth were rotting away, but you love them...scream, "chocolate egg!" in excitement if there is even a hint of an idea that they may be your reward for something.  You love them! which brings them to our most exciting news yet...

You're mostly potty trained.  (chocolate eggs were initially the reward item, but we have now switched to stickers!) I don't know how to give it a percentage, but you're very very close to tackling this task - and when I say you, I truly mean YOU.  My participation in this process has been minimal at best...I started talking about it, and sat you on the potty once or twice a day, non-committed to the idea...But suddenly you started to strip down at will, and go to the potty, and can usually be all done by the time I realize your clothes are lying on the ground and you must be in the bathroom...you have stayed dry for many hours while we run errands (Yup, I risk it in underwear),  and even stayed dry for a couple naps. I think you have been going potty on your own for about 6 days, and have had 4 or 5 accidents.  Today at Sunday School I put you in a pull up and told them to take you potty, but you came home with a drenched pull up.  So we aren't claiming you fully potty trained, but you are close! Maybe I'll get serious this week, before we fly home in 11 days!?!?!

Well my love, there is so much more to say about you, but as I seem to always end my writings...I'm tired and need to sleep, so know that I love you, Violet, and can't see how God uses you in this 3rd year of life! :)   mmmwwa!