I thought that I would start a new thread for us, since our babies are turning 2!
How is everyone doing? What did you do/ are you doing for your toddlers birthday? What are your toddlers up to these days? Favorite toys? Activities? New things the are doing/ learning? Tell me all about it!
I'll start.
The holidays were so much fun! I LOVE this age! Cookie was enthralled with all of the lights. They light up our whole downtown for the season, and we would drive down Main St. as often as we could. Every time, she would say "Lighties!" and yell, "Out!". I'm not sure how many times we walked that strip! We took her on the hay rides they run down Main St, and once on the horse and buggy rides. She thought that the horses were fabulous! Cookie was totally into the idea of seeing Santa (because the older sibs talked him up), but completely wary of him when we actually went. LOL! She did give him a high five, grabbed her candy, and ran for the door. Then she talked about it for days. She was sick for Christmas Eve, and still not feeling better on Christmas morning. She was grumpy when we got up, but when she saw all of the gifts under the tree, she smiled the most amazing smile! She received quite a few books (she loves to read), and cleaning supplies- a child size corn broom, a child size push broom, a child size string mop, and a bucket (from For Small Hands). Our stockings had some organic lollipops and chocolate in them. When hers were finished, she kept checking to see if Santa had brought any more.
Cookie turned 2 at the end of December. We didn't do a party for family or friends this year, in part because we were ill. It was just us. We let her pick what she wanted for dinner, and what kind of cake she wanted. She accidentally blew out the candles before we sang "Happy Birthday" to her, but couldn't do it again AFTER we sang to her. LOL!
She's been using the potty or toilet on her own, with spotty consistency for a while now. She's the second one of my children to be interested at all this early.
She is somewhat capable of dressing and undressing herself. Of course, she's way more efficient at the undressing, and undies get worn as a belt around her waist.
I think she can whistle. I've heard her, but not seen her.
She had been sleeping like clock work- between 1 and 2 each day for a nap, and to bed between 8 and 9. And now- not so much. It's been a sudden change in the last week or so.
I have to run, because she is frustrated... But I am looking forward to hearing about what the rest of you have been up to.
My little guy turned 2 at the end of November (early one!) and we just had a small party with my parents and my ILs. He loved his cake and ice cream!
He is a busy, busy guy and really wants to keep up with his older siblings. He loves cars, trucks, and trains (basically anything with wheels!) and his favorite book is one that is just pictures of vehicles. :) He loves to read other books and will actually sit for an entire story now. Otherwise, he is always on the move. So many people are amazed at just how active he is--he never really stops running. One of my favorite things he does right now is pretend to sleep. He lays down and starts snoring. Or he will put a toy to bed and start snoring for it. Often, if we are in the car at nap time he will start snoring and then actually fall asleep! He has figured out how to move chairs around the kitchen so that he can come "help" me while I make dinner. I never had this problem with my other 2 (different house), so it can be a bit frustrating to have to keep moving his chair away from the stove and into a safer area!
Christmas was fun, although he wanted nothing to do with Santa. I have a classic picture with my oldest with huge smile while holding a screaming toddler and my daughter was caught in half-blink. It makes me laugh every time I see it. We did go to the Parade of Lights for our city and he really enjoyed that once he got past the fact that I made him wear mittens and sit in the stroller.
He isn't showing any interest in potty training beyond sitting on his little potty for 2 seconds while I am getting his bath ready. It doesn't surprise me because neither of my other two trained until after age 3.
I think we are starting to get a bit of a language explosion finally although he still isn't very clear. However, he is very good at getting most of his ideas across so in some ways, he really doesn't need to talk. He is in speech therapy because at the beginning of the school year he really only had a few words and was a bit behind in his spoken language.
Most of the time he will wake up once/night and need a bit of help resettling. Every so often he seems to have insomnia and just can't sleep. It is much, much worse when he needs to go on oral steroids for breathing problems but luckily we have only had to do that once so far this fall. It took him almost a month to get back to sleeping normally after that. He is a great napper which is nice because he needs to go down around 11/11:30 so I can wake him up to pick up his sister at 1:45. He still takes a pacifier at night but I think we are finally done with it while he is awake and he knows that it needs to stay in his crib when he gets up in the morning. It is so funny to see his eyes light up at bedtime when I pull one out to give to him! He grabs it from me and gets a very content look on his face as soon as he puts it in his mouth.
I can't wait to hear how everyone else is doing!
keep meaning to catch up here, great to see folks. my two twos have decided to potty train right now whether i want to or not, so i'm franticly rolling up the rugs and going for it.
I have read OH Crap Potty Training a few times over the last few months and fell like its going well, we start in full ernest, 24/7 this weekend, wish us all luck, send tequila.
wow that was easy, or at least a shitload easier than i thought it would be, specially with two. a week in and my twins are basicly potty trained, they go on their own and ar wearing pants again now, no undies for a few more weeks. i have to tackle nights still, but they are dry in the morning at least half the time if i get them to the potty before their morning pee, so once i figure out PJ's and sleeping arrangements i will jump into that. nights seem to be a yoyo for us, they get great and then something sets us ba kand im back to both coming into my bed in the middle of the night as making my night horrible. my body is suffering, stiff neck and back from being trapped in betwen two todlers kicking me and demanding that i face each of them all the time. i end up sleeping across the foot of the bed just to get away from them, till they figure out where i am and scoot down so they can use me as a foot rest. not ok
i guess i'll just focus on how nice the lack of dipaers is making my life, right?
We are still working on the potty training here. I'm so jealous that you had success so quickly, Adorkable! I know that Cookie is aware, but she has been avoiding getting on the toilet and the potty like the plague for the last few weeks. She will feel the urge, get up, duck behind something and go. It is very frustrating. She hates the diaper, and cries when she needs to wear it when we go out. We have done the naked thing for quite a while at home, and I will try regular underpants in the house, or in our yard, but she just pees in them.
Also, she gave up her nap this week. I am really missing the quiet time in the afternoon. She was already sleeping a decent amount at night, so I'm not gaining anything with this change.
I think we are also coming to the end of nursing. She still asks during the day, but not as much. She isn't really waking up at night to nurse anymore, and she has gone to sleep a few nights without nursing beforehand. On one hand, I miss the snuggles, but on the other hand, it can be really uncomfortable, particularly when I am due for or have my period.
We've been going to storytime for about a month now. She likes going, she asks to go, but isn't ready to sit quietly through the whole thing. I've been working on it in pieces. This week, she only got up and ran away twice, so I am declaring victory. She loves books, and will sit for long periods, looking at books when we are home. I feel torn between taking her, and letting her get what she can out of it, while working on the sitting still aspect of things, and worrying that I am disrupting the other (older) children.
Oh! And we got Cookie a clothes rack of her own, to help further encourage picking up after herself. Ikea had this one for $19.99:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20174508/
It is metal, but the hooks are plastic. It is sturdier than I imagined it would be.
What else have you guys been up to?
hi ..im tracyamber
my little guy will be two at the end of march.
he is starting to pee in his potty when i pee and take off his diaper during diaper change...yay. hopefully a good sign.
he's a counting and abc fanatic!!
he is still taking a good nap and going to bed also about 8:30 - 6!
no party this year. we had a "hungry caterpillar" party last year but this year keeping it mellow. construction car cake..hie favorite noodles and a couple of gifts.
was wondering. what were /are some success gifts for you two year olds? i need ideas
I got both my b/g twins a really nice realistic baby dolls with a soft body. They really love them. I also got their playroom (our living room) a huge climbing structure with 2 slides, one of which goose into our ball pit.
Its hard to get out with them, specially in the winter to get their bodies moving, so I figured I would bring the park home. Who needs their living room right?
Oh, I'm so happy to see that everyone is still around. I know that I disappeared after the birth of my twins, but so much has happened, and I miss you mamas! That's if anyone remembers me. I'll post pics of the twins later, but add me to the "I can't believe they are two years old" club. It's not like I haven't done this two other times. Oh, and please tell me that I'm not the only person having baby fever. Just a little bit.
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