Amelie turned 2!

While we were in Colmar, France we celebrated Amelie's second birthday. Because, really, when your name is Amelie you should celebrate as many birthdays in France as you possibly can, right?

 

For dinner we had the bread and cheese we bought in Strasbourg, along with some local grapes and raspberries at this (third floor walk up, loft) apartment we rented for the night. Then we sang Happy Birthday and enjoyed cupcakes from a French cafe. The kids had Kinder Schokolade flavored ones and the grown-ups had Chocolate Pistachio ones.  (The candle looks like an 8 from the back, but really is a 2, I promise.)

 

Amelie loved being sung to, and making a mess eating her cupcake "all up."  

She has turned into quite the little firecracker.  She talks a LOT, and very well. For example, she doesn't just say "no," she says "No, I don't!" We also hear a lot of "You stop it, Mom" when I tell her not to do something. And the meltdowns and tantrums are impressively dramatic over even the smallest things right now. 

Grandma gave her a new book, which she loves, and the kiddos picked out a baby doll for her that drinks from a bottle and then wets her diaper.  The first time this happened, Ami completely flipped out!  She could not believe the diaper was really wet and that we weren't just pretending. She takes very good care of her baby- rocking it, feeding it, changing it, and carrying it with her all around the house.

 

We adore this strong-willed little munchkin.  She loves kitty cats and puppies. She does her best to copy Charlotte's every move. She can not get enough of being read to, even though she has most of her board books memorized. She loves going places in the stroller or backpack. Amelie is completely convinced that she is an adult and that everyone must value and respect her contributions to the conversation. And yet, when I tell her what a big girl she has become, she still crawls into my lap and says,  "I'm baby, Mom." Yup... and she always will be our baby.