24 Months

Appearance:

• Blonde, blonde, blonde
• Farmer's tan
• Thunder thighs that apparently rub together because you're chaffed with the summer humidityYour blonde hair is thickening.  I'm going to be a teeny bit sad when I can no longer see the big brown freckle atop your head.

Personality:

• You're developing a sense of humor.  I love hearing your giggle.
• Still shy but you get out there and join in.  Today you saw a daddy of one of your friends and you came and got me and brought me over to him because you wanted to say hello.
• You really like your friends, especially James.  You always rattle off a long list of names of who was outside at the playground to play.

Spinach!

Language:

• Complete sentences.  
• Big vocabulary.
• You tell little stories.
• It is fun to have conversations with you at meals.  You like to say "um..." before answering a question.
• You LOVE to talk.  "I say something!"  "It's my turn to talk."  You and Freddie are always competing for airtime.

Trying to put your new jacket...on your legs.

Motor:

• Speed demon on the scooter.  At least now you know how to step on the break but you mainly drag your foot along to slow down.
• You are doing really well with getting your undoes off on your own.  You can get your pjs off, tops and bottoms, all on your own.  You're working really hard to get dressed on your own.  Usually both feet end up in the same leg and lots of frustration ensues when I help.  I think you'd rather just walk around with both legs in the same undie hole than accept my help.
• You jump, jump, jump.  And climb.  Your balance is fantastic.
• You go up and down stairs all on your own without holding on to anything.
• Pedaling is the summer goal.  You're getting there.

Diet:

• You like your greens!
• You're still not totally into my "three meals and one snack a day" eating regimen, but you're getting there.  You don't ask for snacks as often.
• "Try that" is what I hear when you notice something different that I'm eating. 
• Lately we've been sharing wraps.  I think I may start wraps as your lunch rather than a pbj.

Showing Mama some bugs

Likes:

• Tunnels and bridges!  You point them out everywhere and are constantly creating them with random building materials.
• Anything that Freddie has!
• Still very much into cars and trains, but you also like animals.  
• Dancing.  "Like that song, Mama," you say as you bob your head to the beat of a song.
• The beach, and digging.  You also like the ocean although you won't go in without company.

Dislikes:

• Waiting and sharing.  Typical two year old.

Potty:

• You are wearing a diaper at nap.  You'd been on the air mattress with Jessica here and I didn't want any mess.  And you've been taking advantage of the diaper, letting me know when you pee in it rather than getting up to pee when you wake.  I understand your desire to lounge in bed a bit, but you're a big boy now!
• No accidents to speak of.
• Dada's been working on standing to pee with you.  I'm not exactly on board, but being able to pee on trees has come in handy lately.
• I think we'll aim to get rid of the nighttime diaper towards the end of August.
• You take your pants and undies off and climb up on the potty all by yourself!  Yeehaw!  I love independence.

23 Months (and 4 days)

I suppose we are in the countdown to the big T-W-O!

 Appearance:

• Your hair is getting so light!  It's just about white.  And curly.  And growing back.  Whew.
• Taller and leaner, but the belly is still there and you love to show off that outie belly button
• 29ish lbs
• 35ish inches
• Big, round bottom
• Pigeon toes, especially the right foot, although I don't think it is as pronounce as it had been, and I am not seeing it interfere with your ability to go, go, go.
• Two of your two year molars are out, and the remaining two will be out soon.  

You refuse the baby bucket swing now opting to be like Freddie!

Personality:

• Your personality screams "I am two years old!" lately.  
• Stubborn, testing, challenging
• Cuddley, kissy, tender
• You'll hide behind my leg when strangers talk to you, but you're pretty good about answering their questions.
• You don't like the attention of others, even when you definitely deserve it....like when you boogie down in music class and then realize everyone is giggling at you.
• You are very independent.  Everything is "I do it!"

Language:

• You are on your way to being a full blown chatter box, comlplete with articles and prepositions.
• Your sentences are longer and you are pretty understandable.  I think everyone understands you 80% of the time, not just me.  You get most irritated if you aren't understood and it is very frustrating for both of us.  You don't let up and repeat, repeat, repeat until I get it.
• You understand multistep instructions, and even comply most of the time.
• A sentence you just said to Me:  Mama, music not working needs batteries

Motor:

• You draw lots of attention on your little scooter.  I get a handful of comments daily about your balance and speed.  You haven't quite masters putting on the brakes, but that doesn't in any way inhibit your need for speed.  
• You run and jump and climb and keep up fairly well with Freddie.
• You hold a pencil and a marker almost just right, and you are showing more of an interest in writing.  This week you drew a colorful picture this week and declared:  I drew a fish!  A killer whale!
• You like puzzles and you can easily manipulate puzzle pieces to get them to fit.
• You are beginning to really work on dressing and undressing.  

"Hold you, hold you"

Diet:

• The house has made a shift to low fat milk.  You're drinking less milk, somewhat due to this I assume, but also you get milk in a glass at lunch and supper so there's less chugging with the sippy cups going on.
• Less milk means more real food.  Lots more.
• You eat a good sized portions at every meal.  More than Freddie for sure.  
• We're trying a three meals plus one afternoon snack routine here, and you're not finding it easy to give up the snacking habit you'd acquired.  You ask for "snacks" several times a day.
• You really like salad, especially cucumbers.

Likes:

• You have your favorite friends, and I like watching you seek them out on the playground.  
• Freddie is your absolute favorite, above all things.
• Cars and trains
• Playing ball
• Throwing sticks and rocks into the river
• Bath time...Hurricane Hansie in the tub
• Bob Marley, although the other day you told me you liked a song and it was Lynard Skynyrd. You generally love a good beat, and have even been singing along with your dancing lately.
• Brushing your teeth
• Reading stories
• Street Sweeper!!!  It is your favorite work truck and you can always hear it before you see it.  It's fun to watch you search for it once you hear it coming.

Dislikes:

• Taking turns and sharing
• Being told to pick up toys, or just generally being told to do anything other than what is getting your immediate attention

Potty:

• Totally, 100% trained.  Very few accidents.  Mostly compliant and will go without a fuss when I tell you to go potty before we leave the house or when we all stop at the bathroom.
• Few to no accidents.
• You are beginning to take off your own bottoms.  Lord help us.  I appreciate your independence but it is very challenging to watch you struggle, scream, screech, and refuse any help or guidance.  But that face when you've finally gotten it all by yourself is worth it!
• Dry morning diapers happen every once in a while.  You want to potty as soon as you get up, which is great and will help when we finally ditch the overnight diapers.  I am thinking we'll wait until the end of the summer and our summer travel plans to attempt that unless you give the directive sooner.

22 Months

Appearance:

• Blondie!
• Farmer's tan developing
• Rosy cheeks
• Slimming down
• Curls

Language:

• You are loosing some of your "baby" words.  You now say "crackers" instead of "achoos" And "cars" instead of "rooms."
• Your sentences are getting longer:  Mama chomp pizza too.

Motor:

• Jumps where your feet leave the floor.
• Running faster with much better control.
• A demon on the scooter, even going down hills at top speed and managing turns.  You need to work on putting on the break.
• You climb down steps unassisted without holding on to anything.  
• You manage fine with your utensils and no issues drinking from a cup at the table.

Diet:

• You are a great eater.
• You will say you want french fries if you hear we are going out to dinner.
• Everything in front of you gets tasted.
• You really like salad.
• You eat an entire hamburger or hot dog, bun and all.
• Drinking about 16 ounces of milk per day.  Still on whole milk now but thinking we'll start transitioning the house to 2% after vacation.

Likes:

• Freddie is your favorite thing in the whole wide world.
• Riding your scooter.
• Dancing
• Eating
• Looking at books and being read to
• Setting up track for trains or cars
• Music
• Watching water in the river or fountains or drains
• Bath time
• Playing tag

Dislikes:

• Sharing.  You make a beeline for your toys if you see anyone on the playground touching them. 

Personality:

• Shy.  You whisper your responses sometimes when someone new is speaking to you.
• Independent.  You want to do everything for yourself:  I reach it!  I do it!  
• Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn.
• Less crying this month though.  I think you're getting that Mama is just as stubborn.

Potty:

• A big improvement from last month, although playing outside is a time when you have an accident, partly due to me losing track of time and partly because you're too busy to stop.
• You HATE being wet though, which is great.
• You have about one accident a week, sometimes at nap.
• We've had a dry diaper in the morning!  The night time diapers are definitely getting less saturated.
• You're willing to get on the potty upon waking up.
• You love getting new undies.

21 Months (and 2 days)

Appearance:

• 27.5 lbs on the bathroom scale, so this is about 50th percentile
• Rosy cheeks
• Crooked teeth, still waiting on the second set of molars but I can feel them right under the gums
• Rough feet, bye bye baby feet
• Size 6.5 shoe
• Round bottom
• Lots of curls
• Dark eyes and lashes

Language:

• Your vocabulary expands daily.  You constantly have new words and are easier to understand.  You repeat just about everything you hear.
• You've got great manners, and expect that every time you say "peas" you'll get your way.  I love hearing you say "excuse me" and "thanks."
• Your sentences are getting longer..."Run fast hallway Mama please."

Motor:

• Your running is improving with your balance.  Your toes aren't pointing inward as much, so this helps.
• You can climb anything and do it quickly.
• You are almost galloping behind Freddie when he demonstrates.
• You are drawing and explaining that it is an "E" or the number 5.  Or you read it to me and say "The End."
• You are able to get puzzle pieces where they belong and take great pride in doing it by yourself.
• Climbing stairs is an area I've seen a lot of improvement in this month.  You are able to go up and down, holding the rail, without help.   
• You are throwing and kicking balls and seem to have a real interest in basketball.  You love shooting into your little hoop and watching the guys play on the outdoor courts. 
• You are beginning to take off your own pants and undies

Diet:

• Meat eater
• Cucumbers are your new favorite
• Cheese
• All fruits, especially bananas and berries

Likes:

• Being read to, especially Llama Llama books and Goodnight Moon
• Lunch, and you call all meals lunch
• Bath time
• Going to get Freddie from school
• Finding your friends in the lounge for Thursday play dates
• Brushing teeth
• Finding the moon at night

Dislikes:

• Having your face and nose wiped, although sometimes you ask to do it yourself and then let mama have a turn
• Getting help from Dada or anyone that isn't Mama, and this is so frustrating.
• Waiting your turn 

Potty:

• I expected it but you're having a regression.  You've decided it's a waste of time to go to the potty since Mama has dry undies on hand.  Freddie went through a bit of the same phase but he was a little older.  I am trying to nip this in the bud.  Hope it passes quickly.
• You are a pro at pooping on the potty.  No more struggles here.  You've been tell me to "go that way" while pointing out the bathroom door, telling me that you want privacy.
• Just about transitioned 100% to the big potty.  We got rid of one of the little potties and will get rid of the other when we head out of town in a few weeks.  No issues using the big potties when we are out and about.

Personality:

• You are one stubborn kid.  
• Shy with strangers, but you've been warming up quickly.
• So affectionate, grabbing my face and giving me a real kiss with a smacking sound and all right on the lips.

Sleep:

• We moved bedtime back with the time change so you've been sleeping 7.30-7.00.
• Napping from 1-3