My Two Year Old

My Lucia, my baby girl, is not a baby anymore.  She's two!  Although I don't really feel like "I blinked and she's grown and where or where did the time go," it's still hard to believe that I'm the mother of a two year old.  I've been taking little notes for the last six months of her big milestones and cute sayings and preferences and sitting down to put these all together in a post, I can't believe how far she's come in only six months.  She's speaking in full sentences and has moved beyond simple statements to more imaginative, silly sentences.  We have full on back and forth conversations.  She has such a curious, creative, and loving personality.  She has such clear likes and dislikes and isn't afraid to express them.  She's incredibly polite, even thanking me when I wipe her bottom on the toilet!  

Every phase with her is completely new - she's my first and I don't have a ton experience with little ones and she consistently surprises me with "outperforming" what I think is typical behavior at each age.  I know that she is advanced in some aspects, especially her verbal skills, but is average or perhaps a bit behind in others, but (and this may sound really silly) I wasn't prepared for a child her age to be such a person.  A unique individual.  So able to communicate and contribute to the world around her.

And she's such a joy, a source of immeasurable joy and beauty to David and me.  (Can you tell I'm tearing up as I write this?)  When I first saw her as a beautiful little newborn, I loved her more that I could imagine loving anyone, but what has amazed me is that I feel like that love only grows as she does.  Sometimes I just stare at her playing or laying next to me and it's like my world stops and I'm so, so at peace.  I thought it was my job was a parent to teach my daughter about the love of God, but I now know it's a two way street; my daughter has taught me more about love and faith and beauty and goodness and God by just being, just living than I can every teach her through intentional instruction or even just my daily displays of love and care toward her.  And now that she can hug me and cuddle me and kiss me and tell me "I lush you, mommy," and be still my heart.  I always wanted to be a mother but I'm starting to realize that I never really understood what it meant.  It is so much more than I ever imagined it could ever be.  And my marriage - I know that children can be hard on a marriage in the day-to-day, we-don't-have-as-much-time-alone-together kind of way, but in the deep, I-choose-to-love-you kind of way, Lucia has brought so much life to our relationship.  When I look at her, I see the reflection of my love for David and his for me.  Our love did this.  Made this.  We are in this together.  We were chosen, blessed, to be the co-parents of this beautiful child of God.  He entrusted her into our care.  Together. 

Don't get me wrong, she's not perfect.  There are tantrums and the hour we spend at Mass each week is more difficult than I can ever imagine.  There is poop on the carpet (not currently) and hair pulling and other less-than-desirable behaviors and activities and gross things in our home.  But you can't have the joys of children without a few nasties and even in the midst of a terrible tantrum I'll still tell you it's worth it.

Anyway, here's what Lucia's been up to:

 

19 months
asks for "nose kisses"
taking gymnastics classes
loved birds and bugs "moth"
starts being scared of bugs
loves playing with buckles
"shhhh!" (pretends people/dolls are sleeping)
signs "sorry"
temper tantrums starting

20 months
loves "Mi Mau" (Mickey Mouse)
loves, loves, loves to "wash" things with a wet rag
21 lbs (5%), 31.5 in (25%), head 5% - She looks so big to us but actually very tiny!
says "please"
signs "I Love You"
counts to 2

21 months
says "mi koo" ("thank you")
knows "pink" and "green"
loves her music box (with the spinning ballerina)
colors with bath crayons in the bath while mama can take a shower
adds "ie" to everything - huggie, eggie, etc.
speaking is much clearer, not just mama and daddy can tell what she is saying
"I Love You"
"new dahpuh" ("new diaper"
loves Winnie the Pooh and Finding Nemo

Have you ever seen "The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh" (or read the book)?  Lucia's really digging that movie right now.  There is a part where Pooh eats too much honey down in Rabbit's hole and gets stuck on his way out.  That scene, with Pooh stuck in the hole, is depicted on our DVD cover.  Every time Lucia sees it (which is multiple times a day) she starts SHOUTING, " Oh no! Oh no! DUCK! DUCK!" (Translated: STUCK! STUCK)!  She is clearly very distressed and scared for Pooh.  David or I have to talk her down and remind her about how Pooh gets out and every thing is ok.  It's really kind of cute and very puzzling at the same time.

22 months
"me"
consistently says, "Mi koo" (Thank You) after being given something
putting words together "Smell good"
"excuse me"
counts to three
Loves Lilo and Stitch

23 months
loves Dumbo
"look at me"
full sentences
"Mi koo, welcum" ("thank you, you're welcome")
"rock-a-baby" - puts her babies to sleep in her cradle
started singing - words to a tune
love Curious George, show and books!
"Let me hold you, Daddy!" (instead of "Hold me!")

24 months
loves Curious George - read Curious George stories every night at bedtime
daddy always puts her to bed, she falls asleep in our bed and he moves her to her crib mattress on the florrs next to our bed after she falls asleep
hunger strike - not eating much, wants all the milk
dresses herself 
does creative play/uses imagination - says "Monsters, Inc!" and hides under covers (also does this with animals and nativity characters
likes playing with dolls/figurines in a more creative manner - they eat and walk and talk and kiss
first Spanish word "la luna"
calls pumpkins, "punkin patch", even when there is just one
started to get in a pushing phase, where she pushes her friends down because she likes to be able to cause a reaction (crying) - we're working on "gentle hands"

"What's that, Daddy? What's that?" (always twice, never just once)

Me: Lucia, I see a squirrel. Do you see it?
Lucia: I get it, Mommy! (Running off to get the squirrel for me.  My champion.)

Lucia, holding acorns above her head with both hands: "Come here, squirrels! I have popcorn!"

"Let me hold you, mommy!" (instead of "Hold me, mommy!")

This is the last milestone post I plan to write for Lucia, it's not so much that she won't have new milestones, but the new words et al. come so fast these days that I can't keep up.  And these posts are really for those early years, the baby years, and like it or not, Lucia's not a baby anymore, she's a little girl.  A sweet, imaginative, funny little girl. 

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