Eleanor Lynn, My Two Year Old...

This post was originally started on 2-16-12 and completely on 2-22-12.

I can't believe you are two (26 months to be exact) and yet there are days I can't believe you are only two. Having two children has been the best thing I have ever done and yet it is also one of the most challenging things I have done. I think that is a good thing. Life is about growing and learning and I have to say that raising you and your brother is proving to be the most enriching thing I have done. There are moments when simply seeing you and Wilson play together my heart wants to implode with joy.

However, there are also times when I feel that I could actually burst... into tears of frustration! (Today has been a rather challenging day for us. In fact, you guys have just about forced me over the edge. Which is why I have chosen to reflect on your little life and encouraged you and your brother to play independently... It is also why I ordered pizza and the salmon in the fridge is most likely going to go bad. So far, reflecting has helped me... And since you are not yelling (at the moment) it must be helping you two as well. Thank. God.) That was a rather long insert. For fear that I have gotten too off topic let me just end the paragraph with this sentence: I am confident that my grateful and joyful tears out way the frustrated ones.

                                                                                  Yes... you are asleep.
Back to my reflections... I have not documented your life and development as much as I had hoped and for that I am sorry. I hope that you know/remember that it is not because I love you less. Rather it is because (what everyone says is true)... it is just harder/busier with a family of four (or maybe it would be more appropriate to say it is just more full). (side note: How people do it with more children amazes me?! I am not quite there yet.).

So... we are busy and living completely FULL lives. And I love almost every single second.  From running to Wilson's school then your gymnastics, to watching you and Wilson at swimming lessons (last week was your first time in a class without me and you did wonderfully- tear), to walking the dogs (you and the dogs deserve a whole post. you are great with them.) and traveling to see family and friends.

You are a little munchkin. When I compare your size to your brother's size when he was your age you're itty bitty. At your Two Year Well Check you weighed  25.10 pounds and measured 34.5 inches tall and when you look at your height-to-weight ratio it puts you in roughly the 30%ile.

You eat like at bird and then like a lioness. One day you can put away a scrambled eggs like it is your job and the next you forfeit breakfast all together. For the most part you will eat anything (you actually tried and ate a few bites of curry last week) it just depends on if it is your eating day or not.

Like your brother, your memory is frightening. You are a keen observer paying attention to WAY more than we realize. For instance, the last time we flew you were watching everyone in the security line and took your shoes off and sat them on the belt before I could tell you that you didn't need to take them off (12 and under can now keep them on). You even walked through the metal detector independently.

Your little voice is so cute and your language is SO. much. fun. (and pretty amazing too!) It is so hard to believe that your little 25 pound self can say the things you do. Just last week when we were in Costco you saw a dress and loudly said, "that is AWESOME!" Just a few minutes later, as you were "helping" me push the cart, I told you something (for the life of me I can't remember) and you responded with, "are you kidding me... you're kidding me?!" I really wish I remembered what I'd said to you to prompt it. All I know is we were in the book/movie section and you were very impressed with the selection. Recently, as in the past 6 weeks or so, you have replaced momma with mom.  It makes me a tad sad but the way you say it is so cute and matter-of-fact. You chase everyone including Buckeye around the house and yell, "I tag you!" You also make the gruff little voice that is almost like a growl that is absolutely hilarious.

You are a fantastic dancer, for a 2 year old, (I'm sure you get those skills from me.) and love pop music. You try and count to ten and it usually sounds like this: "one, twoeeeee, four, five, eight, nine, ten."

You ADORE your brother and will go anywhere with him. I feel like you are one of the luckiest kids in the world to have him as your brother too. He takes care of you and is always looking out for you. Not to say that you don't have your "sibling moments" but really you get along fantastically. This morning when you played together you two had some of the cutest conversations. You would repeat what your brother said and then finish your sentence with a little "yeah. okay." As I type this you are pushing strollers around the house with stuffed animals and he is encouraging you to follow. "Oops." I just heard you say, "I cwash!" "You  otay, bud?" "You crwaaash?... oh, a big one! Your bear have ouwee?"

Speaking of "ouwees" when you are hurt you call the little boo boo ice pack "boo boo happy" because it is Elmo and you refer to Elmo as "happy".

You love to read books and color. Your favorite colors seems to be purple and pink and you correctly identify orange, red, purple, pink, white, blue, and yellow (you mix up your green and blue).

You are super independent!! (read: character trait that will likely kill your parents while you are growing up but enhance your life as an adult.) Many things you MUST do yourself and everything else you have an idea as to how it should be done. You just want to be a big girl...

You hate socks (I think it is sensory thing) and you wear your shoes on the wrong feet. Hey, as long as you are putting them on I don't care if you look like a duck.

You like to help in the kitchen and can push your "helping chair" just about anywhere.

You are very confident too and will go up to ANY dog, no matter the size, and set them straight with: "NO bark!", "Sit/Lay down." or "Knock it off!"  (Good grief?! What have I created?!) You also try to lead Buckeye (and Jake too) around the house. You are either "takin' a walk" or locking them in the bedrooms. When you put them in a room you point with your finger, say "stay right dere!" and then shut the door.

You still love to brush your teeth and have FINALLY allowed me to brush them with out much challenge. What made brushing your teeth more enjoyable was me allowing you to brush first, then telling you that I needed to check your teeth for whatever we had to eat. (e.g. pancakes, broccoli, etc.) (Boy, am I glad I firgured that one out!!)

Over the past few months you have transitioned into a new stage (read: best birth control imaginable). You are either the easiest child in the world to raise or  you are the most challenging. You are LOUD! Not when you talk but when you SCREAM (forget crying). In reality that is nothing new for you, as people have commented on your volume since you were 6 months old. When you get mad you just. get. LOUD. and there is no middle ground. (And whatever you do?? DO. NOT. make eye contact with said screaming child. It only makes it worse.)

"dat Norwa and my super cake!" 

Typically there is a reason for your outbursts and many times we figure it out (sometimes after the fact) and you calm down and express to us what is wrong, but DAMN...When we don't, it is brutal!! Like when your brother and I flew home from Ohio and you had a 20-30 screaming session at the back of the plane. You were terrible. flapping. swinging, falling to the ground. screaming so loud that I wished I had packed ear plugs for the entire plane. kicking your feet at everything... It was just horrible. What is almost hilarious is that before the flight (and the first 2 hours in the air) everyone was commenting about how cute you were and that you were such a sweet confident traveler. I finally had to let you be and make no eye contact with you what-so-ever. My ears were popping a bit and I really think that your ears were bothering you too as you seemed to stop having a fit after we went through a little bit of turbulence, but STILL I wish that I you would have allowed me to help you... (After the flight random people came up to me (in the terminal) and asked me what was wrong with you. Plenty others gave me dirty looks and thankfully a couple people smiled and gave me look a reassurance.)

You were a super easy kiddo to get to sleep. (I could set you in your crib and you would play, then you'd fall asleep, and often you would sleep through the night.) But this past November everything changed... You started climbing out of your crib so we had to convert it into a toddler bed and move it downstairs with Wilson for three months. Downstairs because you are not ready to have your own bathroom (we found you playing in the sink a few evenings) and with Wils because we had your Papaw here visiting us for a few months. Plus, you gave up your pacifier. Thankfully, since we have gotten back from our trips and you have your own space again you are sleeping much better...In fact, just a few nights ago I read you a book and then you read on your own and went to sleep with out any help. Sure, you talked for about 30 minutes or so but when I went to check on you after my shower you were all tucked in a sound asleep.

You are starting to potty train and I can't believe it!! When I bought underwear for you today, I almost cried. I mean, you are not a baby anymore. :( . Many times after you have a BM you will declare, "I'm poopy" and sometimes you bring us the diaper. (sweet. right? kidding. more like eww.) Yesterday you went most the day without a diaper and used your little potty successful.

You are something else, Ms Nora and I love you bunches!! Always, forever, no matter what.
Mom (Feel free to call me Momma again.)