Looking for the Good- Mothering a Two Year Old

I have been contemplating a post for June's birthday for over a month now.  It's hard to write a gushy happy lovely letter to your 2 year old daughter when she's dumping her yogurt out onto the table right next to you.  After you've asked her to stop.  Twice.  That is literally happening right now.  And a couple weeks ago I sat down to write about June turning two and she pooped on the coffee table.  I never thought the words, "June, it's not OK to poop on the table," would ever be uttered from my lips.  So as I thought about how I could capture this moment in our lives right now, I have been trying to take notice of the things about June that are a blessing.  The things that make us smile and laugh- because they are there.  Even if the rest of the day was spent cleaning up poop she smeared all over her room, I still am determined to find something I love about June. 

• She has slowly developed a will of her own regarding her choices for food, TV or playing. EX- Me: "June, do you want milk or water?"  June: "or juice!"  

• She usually says "Thank you" when we give her something.  And she says "Excuse me" quite often, even to a chair that is in her way.  We can thank the book Clifford's Manners for that.  

• She is her biggest cheerleader.   EX- June: "Where's the E?... There it is!  That's right!  Good job!"

• Right now, June is working on getting that pinky up to sign "I Love You."  It's hard, but she's almost got it.  She tells us she loves us all the time with big hugs and kisses.
• She's so fearless.  Last night we took her on a fairly big hill to go sledding.  We pushed her down and she went flying, waving her arms, and smiled a big smile at the bottom.  I said, "Do you want to go again?"  June replied, "Exactly!"

•  June likes to wear her towel like a "spa towel."

•  June loves to put stickers on noses.

•  She is finally starting to keep her hair in pony tails. 

•  She's starting to like to play pretend mommy, feeding her dolls and putting them in the bath or on the toilet.

• She loves to have her toes painted.
• I love to see her stand on a little chair with something for a microphone and sing.  
• Her favorite thing to do with Kenny is dance to Build Your Kingdom Here, a song by The Rend Collective.  She asks for "Kingdom Come?!?"
• She has an excited face- that often has to do with making pancakes or waffles. 

While staying home with children wasn't something I planned on doing, I'm so glad I get to have these memories with June and the next baby.  I hope I don't go crazy, but I was reminded of a verse the other day that was a comfort to me.  Isaiah 40:11, "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young."  God's grace is big enough to carry me each and every day, and He's gently leading me as I lead June.