We're berry berry tired!

Sorry it's been so long since my last post. It's been the same old grind.
Courtney continues to assert her independence at every turn and I swear she says no to every question before she even hears the whole thing. At least now, she says "no, thank you". and Pweeese, mommy". But she's still pretty whiny. We think her 2-year molars are coming in because her sleep schedule is all jacked up. She had me spoiled the last 6 months or so, sleeping until 7:30. Now, she's getting up with the chickens at 6AM or even 5:30. I tell her "it's still dark", and she says "so what, mommy, I'm all done night-night." Can't argue with that.

We had her 2-year checkup this week. Going to the doctor is getting tricky now because she's old enough to remember that's where she goes to get shots. She wasn't very cooperative, though she impressed the doctor with her vocabulary and cognitive skills when she said, wait a minute, I'm not ready." She has the verbal skills of a 3-year old or above. She asked her what her name was and was stunned when Court replied "Courtney Rose Houtz". She's such a showoff. She weighs 27 pounds, only up 3 pounds since her 18 month checkup. She is only 33 inches which is the 25th percentile for her age. She's short like her mother. But all her baby fat is almost gone. She looks like such a little girl. It breaks my heart.

Speaking of how big she's getting, Casey and I are taking our first little vacation without her next week. We're driving down to Palm Springs on Saturday to spend a few days with his dad and then we're leaving her for 3 days with him while we go to Vegas for Casey's 30th birthday. As much as I am looking forward to this and know that she's going to have such a great time that she'll hardly miss us, I know I'm going to have a hard time. I've never been a way from her for more than 24 hours. She's my best friend, the joy of my life. Even when she's being cranky and we've had a horrible day, I go into her room at night and watch her sleep and feel so proud that we've created such a wonderful creature. But Casey and I need some adult time and I need to remember that though I am a mother first and foremost, I am also a wife, and an individual in my own right. Still...

Latest Courtneyisms:

1) my mom's dog has it's tail docked and ours don't. She told my dad very seriously the other day, "papa, Eddie's tail is broken. Put a bandaid on it".

2)"mommy, look I'm shaking my bootay!" I asked her who taught her that. "daddy". Of course!

3) Her stomach was growling one morning and she said "Oh, mommy, there's a tiger in my tummy, feed it!"

If only they could stay that innocent and naive.

Until next time...