We are just a few weeks away from Velda’s 3rd birthday.  To be exact, 3 weeks away.  22 days.  9,547 minutes.  Okay, I didn’t really count the minutes.  I made that number up.

The terrible two’s haven’t been so terrible.  We went through a few different phases the past year but I survived the year without pulling my hair out.  However, we still have 3 weeks and if they go anything like this week, Velda is  making sure she ends 2 with a BANG!

This is some of what this week held for us:

– she chewed up almost a pack of gum (I found the wad of gum in the sink later during the day)

– colored her foot RED with a permanent marker

(I don’t mean a bit of scribble here and there.  I mean the whole top of her foot was red, blood-red.

All she declared was that her toenails were now painted like mom’s.)

– she locked me out of the apartment, twice

– colored her behind brown, yes her behind, yes she chose brown

– colored the palm of her hand black (these coloring bits were not on the same day

and yes it took me 3 times before banishing markers from this household ever again)

– tore open about 30 pieces of addressed and stamped mail waiting to go out (this girl loves her mail)

– took Juan’s hair cutting case (he has one, though no need for it) and proceeded to begin cutting her own hair

(Thankfully she did quite a good job, she just made some bangs for herself.

Her excuse?  She was tired of pushing her hair away from her face.  Go figure.)

– drank some antibacterial hand sanitizer

– I found her swinging off the refrigerator’s door handle like jane from the jungle

What a week!!  And to think at one time she was just a little bundle in my arms.

2 weeks old

two photos by Juan Martinez

We have all survived year 2.  (I hope I am not prematurely saying this, ha ha.)  We look ahead to what year 3 will hold for all three of us; four if you include the cat (an essential part of Velda’s day).  Though she is FULLY testing us, stretching the limits and forging head into trouble, when I look at her precious face, how can I be anything but thankful that she is healthy, happy and able to drive me up the wall!!