This is what 30 looks like

Today is my 30th birthday. So far, it doesn't feel a whole lot different than 29. (This picture is a self-portrait I took this morning, so be kind!)

We have a couple of busy and exciting weeks coming up. We are celebrating Thanksgiving with family at our house, which means I'll be doing a lot of cooking, cleaning, and shopping over the next few days. Lauren also turns 2 on Thursday, and she is so ready for her birthday! She continues to sing happy birthday to herself, her favorite number is 2, and she keeps talking about "Lauren's party." We will have a family party for her on Saturday, and a mini-party with her playgroup friends next week. It's really fun to see her so excited!

Next week we have her 2-year-old check-up on Monday, and then Tuesday is the big day: her first day of preschool! We've been reading books about school and visiting her classroom, hoping she will be ready to spend two mornings a week there. I know I'm a lot more nervous about it than she is. This is a big deal for a mommy!

Last, we have another fun event at the beginning of December: Lauren's first trip to Disneyland! She loves everything Disney these days, and I can't wait to see her response to the magic that is Disneyland. I'm guessing her favorite thing will be the stores--she already loves shopping, especially for anything "princess."

Since we have such a busy time ahead, I'll give a little update now on Lauren at 2 years old. She's about 30 pounds and about 37 inches--still very tall for her age. She is mostly wearing size 2T, although some 24-month things fit her, and even some 3T things are starting to fit in the length. She is so "girly" in so many ways: She loves to talk and sing, and loves pink and purple. She has fallen completely in love with Disney princesses, as I mentioned, but thankfully she still likes Sesame Street, Winnie the Pooh, and Boz. She enjoys coloring and making food in her play kitchen. She also likes taking care of her baby doll and stuffed animals, and will feed them, diaper them, and put them to bed. She can be so sweet, giving wonderful hugs and kisses, and saying, "Love you." However, she is definitely becoming a 2-year-old. Everything is SO dramatic. She's either so happy that she jumps around screaming, or she's so upset that she has to run away and hide her face. We've definitely been challenged on how to discipline her. So far, I think we've done a good job of ignoring the drama and using time outs when needed. Her "tantrums" generally don't last long, hopefully because she realizes they aren't working. But overall, we are blessed with a happy and healthy 2-year-old, and we are so thankful to have her in our lives!

I'll leave you with some pictures of our visit to See Canyon Fruit Ranch last weekend. Perfect autumn weather and super delicious apples--yum!