So Long, Adventurous Twos: 5 Favorite Photos of Chloe

This year, Chloe actually knew what a birthday meant. She counted down the days, picked out Dora invitations to send for her party, and practiced holding her pinkie down to show the number "three" on her little fingers. She endlessly repeats the song "Happy Birthday to You," even a month after her birthday is passed. By the way, she can carry a tune quite well for a toddler, in my biased opinion.

Thinking back, I can understand why the two's get linked with the adjective "terrible" more often than not. To be fair, for about two-thirds of the year, I was feeling like this is my favorite stage ever- how fun to watch her learn to communicate and show more personality. The other third, it was who is this screaming alien-child and what did she do with my baby and OMG why is she destroying my house and my sanity?!

Guess which one sticks with us longer?

Despite all of the turbulence a two-year-old brings, you can't help but appreciate the spirit of adventure that emerges as well. Chloe's discoveries and first-time-experiences allow us parents to view wonder in this world with a renewed, childlike appreciation. What a great excuse this gives us to keep going to the places we love. She might not remember going canoeing for the first time, or seeing the Grand Canyon (from the North Rim!), going to Disneyland (yes, I did), or driving and camping down 2/3 of the Baja peninsula, but she's learning how to explore and act in those types of settings.

Before the two's fade too far into our rear-view mirror of memories, here are 5 pictures dedicated to Chloe's special moments and changes this year. Happy Birthday, little ladybug, and I can't wait to share in many more adventures ahead!

1. Up for anything, and looking like a camper in Uncle Greg's favorite green pants

2. Not a fan of the cooler morning temperatures of the Kofa Mountains, and boy can she tell us all about it

3. Little Exploradora enjoyed the mud and rocks near Puerto Penasco, Sonora, Mexico

4. We were shocked that she held her head still for the full face painting- not so little anymore

5. One of our favorite photos of this little pony-tailed blonde beauty