Lulu is smack dab in the middle of being a two year old. There are good days and there are bad days. She is definitely trying to assert her independence much more lately. She likes to feed herself. She gave up the highchair for Rose months ago and sits on the counter stool like a big person. She likes to take her own pajamas off when it’s time to get dressed.
While we’re definitely thinking of potty-training, she just isn’t there yet. She knows what the potty is and sits on it from time to time. Recently she has started to tell us when she has “poopie-pants” and when she wants her diaper changed. We are encouraged by this. But we’re not going to push our luck just yet.
Going for walks she doesn’t like to be contained in the stroller and wants to roam free-range. Unfortunately, I have to revoke those rights on many occasions because she doesn’t listen to me and runs for the hills like an escaped prisoner. Since it’s been really cold lately she hasn’t been so eager to get of her warm seat and when she does she doesn’t complain when it’s time to go into the warm house.
She has also reached full-on mimicking, parrot stage and it’s hilarious to hear the things that come out of her mouth. Her father and I have kept the swearing in check, as she was beginning to drop F-bombs and scream “ASS!” at the top of her lungs when we least expected it. Otherwise, it’s very funny to hear our expressions come out of her mouth in her sweet little voice. This morning she was watching Sesame Street and I heard her say “Hi Oscar, how are you doing?”
And the other night Forrest came home from work and she said, “Hi Da-da. I’m so glad to see you.” Of course it broke his heart a little because he had to run out of the door for a night-time meeting.
Since the winter months are upon us, she’s been waking up at weird times and very early in the morning I can hear her chatting it up in bed. Typically I can hear her singing “That’s Elmo’s Worrrrld!” loudly and off-key. Or she says “Sparkle-NOSE!” and goes through the Yo Gabba Gabba role-call: Foofa, Muno, Brobee, Toodie, Plex, then laughs like a lunatic in the dark.
In the morning when they both wake up she actually waits for me to bring Rosie downstairs and then she comes down on her own to make a grand entrance (even yells “ta da!” when she enters the room). We’ve been encouraging her to play on her own more and she has been which is encouraging. Sometimes I jump up in a panic because she’s too quiet, only to find her playing with her baby doll or lining up her Little People to take a swan dive off the edge of the toy box.
Given the time of year she is starting to learn all things associated with Christmas: Santa Claus, christmas trees, wreaths, snowmen, etc. I did not subject either child to going to the mall to get their picture taken with Santa, as this would definitely lead to a photo with them both screaming in terror. And possibly scar them for life.
The other day she experienced the joy of her first candy-cane. I’m not so sure she liked the taste of it as much as the act of fish-hooking herself with it and just getting all-round sticky. Of course, getting all sticky is a good excuse to wash her hands in the sink, a new favorite activity. Honestly, I don’t think she cares if her hands are clean. It’s just an excuse to get some part of her body into water. This kid loves water. If she hears the word “bath” she instantly tries to take her clothes off and head for the upstairs bathroom.
It is more than true that you can’t reason with a two year old. And she leaves a path of destruction wherever she goes. She bores easily. And sometimes I want to wring her little neck. But this is also a really fun time! It’s so cool to witness her learning and becoming so smart and creative. To see her personality forming. To watch her be a goofball, to dance to all kinds of music, to watch hug her sister or to simply sit with us to read books.
It’s those little moments that I want to pick her up and squeeze her until her eyes pop out of her head.
