So what to write about... I've been meaning to write a little blurb about my two and a half year old since I've already written one for the newborn and my two older girls.
This is a crazy fun age. Lots of new words and discoveries! This includes discovering the power to say "no" and not comply with mommy and daddy's every wish. I find my toddler especially likes to exert his control during meal times. Though this may be frustrating to say the least... it is supposed to be a phase. For the most part, my boy is actually a pretty decent eater but for those of you out there who are struggling with getting the calories in, remember you can count total calories per day and not necessarily jam it all in during the usual breakfast, lunch, dinner times. I actually wrote a previous blog on this topic when my second child was going through this stage. You can click on the link here to read it.
So in addition to the power of saying "no" is the yearning for independence and doing everything by themselves. This actually does crack me up most of the time, though there are moments when I just want to pull out my hair. So here are a few examples... I'd put E on the booster seat at meal times... he will climb back down and then climb back up himself. Same thing with washing his hands... if I by accident place him on the step stool to wash his hands... he will climb back down the stool and climb back up it before he is willing to wash his hands... by himself. He will try to put his shoes on for 5 minutes or so before giving up and asking for help. If I help him before he asks me for help... sometimes we get the loose jelly melt down on the floor. Sigh. So getting to places on time requires factoring in extra 20 minutes or so to just get out the door dressed... then to the car... then into the carseat and then buckled! Fun times...
My boy loves to copy his two older sisters in everything they say and do right now. We're often trying to remind the older ones to be a good example so he can copy good things. Unfortunately, most of the time he is copying them with things like... waving utensils madly in the air during meal times... screaming certain phrases and laughing hysterically... He even wants his hair in a ponytail! Right now the thing to do in the car is to sing "let it go" and "love is an open door"... on the top of their lungs...
My toddler boy is certainly a little more active and accident prone than my girls at this same age. This may be a personality thing and not just a gender thing... but E is totally into choo choo trains and such. Already, he is wiggling out of my smooches and embraces. In fact, the only way I get him to come over and give me a kiss is by getting my girls to do it first. I'd call out, "who wants to give mommy a kiss?!" My girls would usually run over and smother me with their hugs and kisses. E will see them and run over, too. Sigh... they grow too fast...
