The fundamental job of a toddler is to rule the universe.

When does actual toddlerism begin?
One?
Two?
When they start making parents want to pull out their hair?
I have no idea.
Either way, Maven is on her way!
She has officially acquired a year's worth of this world's knowledge.
This makes her a genius, obviously.
And this year her birthday fell on Easter.
Double YAY!!  So, YAY and YAAAY!

She can say Nana (Mama), Dada, Dah-dah (baba, or bottle), Ni-ni (night night - she actually says this when she is tired), uh oh, HEY!, Hi, Di-di (bye bye), a kissy noise, and no no no no.  She is also a squealer.  Its kind of cute, but in an ear-piercing window-breaking high-pitched tornado siren kind of way. 
She can't say her "b" or "m" sounds yet.  Is that weird?
She helps me buckle her into her carseat by grabbing the bottom part and holding it up for me.  She knows what things go on her head and she always tries to put them there - hats, necklaces, bows, headbands, etc.  She loves buttons and pushes them on everything - her toys, the dishwasher, the car, etc.
She is also walking.  She actually pulled that stunt out of her bag o' tricks the very day of her birthday.
She would get so excited and start jumping when she first started that she'd fall.  Every time. 

 

Luckily, she has improved.

 

A favorite game of hers is to turn circles on the kitchen floor:

See how she puts one arm to steer?  She does that when she walks, too.  I told you she's a genius.

 

Another favorite game of hers is to pick on Tay.  She TOTALLY has it coming, though.  We smile and say "Aww.  Now she fits in with the family PERFECTLY."

 

She has also been known to bring us a diaper when she feels like she needs one.  Seriously.  At my dad's, she got her diaper out of my purse and took it to Kelli.  She ended up having a poo diap.

 

 

 

She has the survival skills of a wolverine.

 She rode up front over to the RV (right behind our neighborhood) and thought she was super big:

She looks so much like her sister!  Here is Tay at the same age:

 

 

I only snapped ONE flippin' picture at Tay's party.  Dang it.

 

We had a dance themed party since this girl loooves to boogie. 

 

I set up a dance stage in the garage like I did for Tay.  We also had music crafts and served POPcorn, POProcks, and Vanilla Ice Ice too cold  - ice cream.

At my dads, I did open up the camera on my phone and pushed the circular button. Ooohh... when I word it like that it sounds so easy, doesn't it?  Well, it is NOT.  Being on camera duty is a job!  I want to enjoy the party like everyone else. 

Okay.  Off of my soap box, or whatever. 

I brought all the presents that Maven got at her party over so she could open them.  We're busy people!  We never had a chance to open them!

Here are the pics from my dads house, Easter, her actual birthday, whatever you'll call it:

 Shane did a cupcake dunk on Tay

We also took her out for frozen yogurt. 

The kids went in their pajamas.

Maven sat on the table.

We were HIGH class!

We just needed a rusty maroon minivan with a Christmas wreath on the grill to pull it all together.

By the way, she doesn't let us feed her.