Two Years

I’ve waited a long time to write this two year old post for a few reasons: we’ve had lots of company, went home to Newnan for the birthday party, I was waiting on pictures, and mostly I just didn’t want to because it would make it seem real. I can’t believe my baby is two years old! It is so true when people say that time flies by once you have kids. I had a fellow Navy wife and photographer take a few pictures of Madeline to mark her second trip around the sun and they came out so cute! She didn’t want to smile at all, but oh well. Because I had these pictures taken with her chair, I didn’t bother taking them myself, so there aren’t any on the blanket. I might do that later if I get a chance.

Before I even begin to talk about Madeline’s terrible twos, I have to show you some comparison photos. It is so weird to look at these because its difficult to remember her as any other way. Its always a surprise to see how small and bald she use to be!

Two Months…the first photo in the chair

12 months…this photo shoot was so difficult!

Two years and one day.

These pictures make my heart break and swell and break and swell again. What a bittersweet, amazing, indiscernible thing it is to watch your baby grow up. I’m finally understanding why people do this two or three times!

The beginning of Madeline’s third trip around the sun has brought so many new challenges. She talks like a pro and can repeat anything and everything we say. She speaks in sentences and has no problems expressing her wants and needs. In fact, I hear, “Mama, I want….” all day, every day. She has also entered a possessive stage and the second most common thing I hear is, “Mine, mama, mine!” Combine them and you get the third most common sentence, “I want my mama!” She has a problem going to other people when she is tired and cranky and seems to need a lot of attention and comfort from me right now. Though half the time she isn’t even happy with me. I think a lot of it has to do with a few weeks of sleep deprivation and with her two year old molars coming in. I just want them to break through all ready! Obviously, she also calls me mama now and I miss hearing Mommy. Mama feels like something a big kid says, not my sweet little baby. She is super curious, always asking, “what is that noise?” and “what is that?” She is also super independent (despite also being super clingy…it’s a weird dichotomy) and is always telling me she wants to do things, “all by myself”.

Her patented run jump.

Madeline needs constant stimulation and the iPad has been a total crutch for us lately. I can’t keep her interested in one toy for more than 5 or so minutes at a time and we burn through our play room in no time flat. And believe me when I say that is an accomplishment, since we have A LOT of toys! She is too smart for me, that is for sure. She is still really into playing with her baby dolls, building with blocks, and doing puzzles. She enjoys drawing and painting, but doesn’t seem to do it quite as often or as independently as before. That could be my fault for not directing her there as much, but she just doesn’t ask to do it like she did before. She likes books but still can’t sit through a complete reading of one. It’s a process, right? She loves elmo, mickey and minnie, mermaids, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Dora, cars and trucks, and pretend shopping and cooking.

She is still a pretty good eater as far as what she’ll eat, but quantity is a whole different story. Getting her to sit through a meal is torture. She seems to be getting enough nutrition because she went up one point on each of her percentages during her 2 year check up. She was 28 pounds and 35 inches tall. People often mistake her for a 3 year old because of her height and vocabulary. Besides being surprised by those things, people most often tell me how pretty her hair is. She is still everyone’s best friend and even spontaneously says I love you. She is more timid with strangers now but is still pretty friendly and is slowly moving from parallel play to interacting with other kids (though its still mostly parallel stuff). 

Dear Madeline,

You are such a big girl now. You are in this wonderful stage where you still need mommy and daddy, but you’re learning to be independent and doing more and more things on your own. You amaze us every day with how smart, funny, independent, strong, and sweet you are. You make us laugh constantly and the joy that you bring us can’t be put into words. Watching you grow and seeing your little personality form is amazing and we just can’t wait to see what the next months and years bring. We are so grateful for all the lessons you have taught us and all the beautiful, difficult, wonderful ways you have changed our lives and we truly can’t remember what life was like without you in it. You have made the three of us a family and we will always be so thankful you picked us. There is no little girl or boy on the planet more loved by her whole family than you are. Please try and stay our little girl forever, ok?

With all the love in the world,

Mommy and Daddy