Almost Two!

It is almost September…the month you will become two years old! You are so talkative and you have a very big vocabulary. Yesterday when I picked you up at school as we walked to the car past the fenced-in play area you said “I play there.” A spontaneous unprovoked complete sentence meant to share information with me. It had been a week since I had seen you. You had grown a lot in a week! Since your Dad started back to work this month I’ve begun my time of staying with you while your Mom works. You have become somewhat more assertive and more easily provoked and impatient. I think that is a “rite of passage” and part of the challenges of parenthood. But you have also started showing more delight and excitement about things--such as chapstick! You are able to put facts together and figure things out without specifically being told. You remember many details like the morning at breakfast you reminded me to push up your sleeves. You take my telephone and talk to your Mother on the phone in the car. And you took a picture of your leg! One day early in August you surprised me by running ahead when I set you down as we came out of a restaurant. It scared me to death but I retrieved you and learned a lesson. The world was calling to you…as it will continue to do. En route to and from school we listen to a CD of children’s songs. You remember them & ask for specific songs. One favorite right now is “Happy Birthday”. You don’t sing along yet but you are taking in the songs. You love pop sickles, blowing bubbles & your dog Sunday. You had allergy testing this month and went to the dentist for the first time. And you’ve started “potty training”. And when you turn two, there will be “no more bottles”. You have a small bottle before nap & at bedtime. I think you will be able to give it up okay, but it will be significant that bottles and diapers will be over soon. Although it is no longer a new awareness, I continue to admire what good parents you have. They love you and work together to do what is best for you, even if it’s hard sometime. One day after I left your house while you were napping your parents told me you cried when you woke up and I was gone. I told them that I cried too. Maybe not literally…but I do have a sense of loss as I leave you for a week! How lucky I am that I can spend time with you at this time of your life.    


After reminding me to push up your sleeves

Almost too big for swing!

Shopping Cart at Target

Self made Photo of Leg

Pop Sickle time!

My Friend Sunday

Delighting in Chap Stick!

Eight Days in July 2013

 

Neighbor cat

Cooking with Daddy

After nap Popsicle with Granny

             Chace Lake Poolside & Swings


The end of the day at Music Camp

Wearing Back Pack for Music Camp

I got to see you eight days in a row in July! Before that I visited one afternoon while your Dad did some errands and came to visit with Maggie Rae and Papa. I stayed overnight while your parents went out and when they went overnight to a concert in Atlanta. But during the time your Dad went to Wyoming, I was with you 8 days in a row…although not all day every day. I took you to Music Camp at Hilltop Montessori 5 days and it was fun to watch you go from being teary- eyed when I took you to your classroom to being comfortable then happy to go into your class. After class the teachers had all of you sit on a bench waiting to be picked up. It was so sweet to see you sit with your back pack ready to go home. En route to & from school we listened to a CD with several songs you really liked…Itsy Bitsy Spider & Happy Birthday were 2 favorites. And you liked the many American flags displayed on Highway 119. The trip was a little long, but you were never fussy. One day you played with Maddyn next door then we went to music at Gymborre and had a short swim after nap time. You were always sweet to hold at naptime and bed time and so funny to hear talking on the baby monitor. One morning I heard you count to 11. I was amazed but your mom said you had been doing that for awhile. You are coloring well and love for me to push you around the house while you ride on your “auto”. And you still love books and really pay attention to the words & pictures. Every afternoon we did some travel time outside in each of 3 vehicles: your red wagon, the stroller and the tricycle. The picture of you with the cat was made by your mother at a neighbor’s house. The cooking picture was with your Dad after he returned from Wyoming. But the messy popsicle one was made by me & was part of a routine post-nap popsicle experience! Next week your Dad will start back to school and our fall routine will begin. You will be going to Hilltop on Thursdays and Fridays every week. You are growing up so quickly! Your vocabulary grows every day. I’m looking forward to what’s ahead!