November means apple picking season in the Hudson Valley. Since Mommy had to work this weekend, Daddy, Mimi, and Opa took us to Weed Orchards for some outdoor fun (and plenty of apple cider donuts – yum!).
We had a great time visiting the Bronx Zoo in our costumes for “Boo at the Zoo” this year. Getting lollipops along the Rihino trail was a real highlight, along with all of the animals, of course!
Jack was Kion from the Lion Guard and Lena dressed up as Dory from finding Dory, so it was a real Disney-fest. We hit about eight or nine houses on our grandparents’ street on Halloween night, too. A good time was had by all!
The month started out on a bit of a low note, with a series of doctors appointments. The first was to get my two year blood draw and flu shot (no thank you, please!), and the second was to address an elevated heart and breathing rate brought on by a high fever. Ugh – can cold and flu season be over already? On the bright side, doctors visits usually come with stickers, and my cooperation can be bought for a few Sponge Bob or Mickey stickers.
Other than being a little sick, I’m my regular spunky self. I’m acting every bit the part of a two year old, and asserting my independence regularly. Mommy and Daddy hear the phrase “no, MY do it!” repeated with great frequency, especially when getting dressed and buckling my seat belt.
I’m also getting really good at communicating what I want, which is usually whatever my brother is holding. I sometimes mix up the meanings of the words “also” and “either,” so it’s not uncommon to hear me complain “aw, that’s not fair, Mama, I wanna have that ei-der (meaning “too”). That makes me angry!” I have even learned from watching my brother that this statement is best punctuated with crossed arms.
While I’m definitely developing a little toddler attitude, and don’t like to be pushed around, I’m still an overwhelmingly happy and easy going kid who would rather be in a good mood than not. I’m also getting slightly better at lying in my crib at night to go to sleep, although now I usually demand that both Jack and Daddy make an appearance to say good night to me, while Mommy sits in the chair. At least I don’t require constant back rubs anymore!
Current likes: Snuggles
Current dislikes: “stinky bugs” (stink bugs) – they’re everywhere this month!
Milestone alert: I got my first big boy haircut at a barber shop this month. It came with a lollipop and the promise of screen time, so I was super compliant during the whole thing. My short ‘do looks very cute when it’s swept to the side and gelled into place the way it should be. I feel passionately about pulling it straight down over my forehead, however, and do this at every opportunity.
I’m learning lots of new things at school, and came home able to recite the pledge of allegiance in full the other day. I’m also learning how to draw letters, which I find to be very frustrating. As a lefty, I’m having a little difficulty gripping my pen/pencil in a way that gives me adequate control. Because I have little patience for things I’m not immediately good at, my first instinct is to get angry and give up, but I’m making a little bit of progress. I’m also increasingly concerned about “coloring in the lines,” which is not something that’s previously registered with me as desirable.
Although I am easily irritated, I’m also very sweet, and especially snuggle-y at nighttime. I recently had the following exchange with my Dad just before falling asleep:
Me: “Daddy, I’m going to love you for 600 days.”
Daddy: “How about 600 years?”
Me: “How about forever? You’re the best daddy I ever had in my whole life.”
I have also discovered that it’s fun to play with my sister (on my terms) now that she’s more of a toddler. I really like building forts in my room to peek out of, and I’ll frequently invite Lena in to hide with me. I also like to wake her up in the morning by crawling into her crib and reading her books.
Current likes: Wonder Woman and Elena of Avalor – action princesses!
Current dislikes: frustration tolerance
Hi everybody, I’m a big two-year-old girl today! At my doctor’s appointment I measured 35.25 inches tall and weighed 31 lbs with a 20 inch head circumference (90th percentile for height and weight, and still enormous on the head size).
I’m a very sturdy, bubbly, engaged toddler with an infectious laugh and a desire to do everything my big brother does. I’ve learned to mimic his attitude a bit, too, and now I’ll let you know when I’m displeased by crossing my arms and saying “hey!” or “stop it now!” I’m very eager to communicate, although Mommy and Daddy have to admit that sometimes they can’t understand 100% of what I’m trying to say. My brother is slightly better at comprehending me, and he steps in as my translator on occasion. I have recently learned to say “s” noises, although I pronounce them all as “sh” (for example, socks = shocks and please = piesh). Mommy only recently noticed that I have a cute little under bite, which may be contributing to my difficulties pronouncing certain words. My smile sure is adorable, though!
I can do all of my shapes and numbers correctly. And while I can sing the ABCs and count to 10, I don’t show any interest in visually identifying numbers or letters yet.
My favorite foods at the moment are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apples, and bananas), macaroni and cheese, cheese in all its forms, yogurt, and pirate booty. My absolute favorite food in the world is pizza, and I ask for it regularly. Eventually Mommy and Daddy figured out that “pisha-pisha,” which I state emphatically over and over, was my way of asking for a piece of pizza.
I still nap at school (most days), and I’m ready for bed around 8:00 p.m. I don’t like being left alone in my room, and I frequently ask Mommy to “rub my back!” as I’m being put to bed. I’ll also always ask to “sit in chair?” just a bit longer after we finish a book to get a little extra time rocking and brushing my teeth.
I had a great time at my second birthday party. Highlights included cake, bubbles, and having my friend Nina bounce in the bouncy house with me. I also got some great presents, including some baby dolls with a stroller and pack-n-play, all of which I insisted on taking to bed with me!
Current likes: Cookies with sprinkles, or any dessert accompanied by the Birthday Song
Current dislikes: Waiting a year for my next birthday
Happy Fall, everyone. This has been a great month so far, including a cool trip to Syracuse during which I visited the Great NY State Fair. That trip also contained my very first video game experience (pictured below), Plants v. Zombies with Opa. I see some serious gaming in my future – just look at how intently I’m focused on that screen!
Screen time continues to be my single greatest desire as a small human. I absolutely love Disney Junior TV shows like Lion Guard, and the fact that my parents restrict my ability to watch is a constant source of frustration for me. I’ll sidle up to my Mommy and very sweetly ask “can I watch something?” When she says no, I’ll then stomp my foot and say “that’s not fair, Mommy!” I think a lot of things are unfair when they don’t suit my purposes. Sometimes the things I’m protesting are, in fact, the very definition of fair, but that remains my standard complaint.
The Jewish Holidays have arrived, and I enjoyed lighting the candles for Rosh Hashanah this past Wednesday, September 20. Mommy taught me to say “Shana tova, Happy New Year!” and I’m really loving that phrase. Lena, too, although hers sounds more like “Ah-tobah, appa yah-yah!”. Now every time we say goodbye to someone, we add this phrase on to the end.
I’ve been to a number of summer birthday parties this past month (most recently for my friends Paige and Liliana) and they have all featured a bouncy house. I’ve really grown to love this particular house, so Imagine my surprise and delight in learning that we would be renting it for Lena’s upcoming birthday party. I can’t wait!
Current likes: equity as I define it (getting what I want when I want it)
Current dislikes: Mommy and Daddy’s version of fair
We recently headed up to Syracuse to visit Mimi and Opa, and had a lot of fun at the zoo. We especially loved the penguins, and mining for “jewels.” A great time was had by all!
At twenty three months my language has really been exploding, with lots of complex sentences (mostly demands). I can say lots of five word phrases, like “I want more milk, Mommy” or “put on your shoes, Daddy.” I still have a difficult time saying my “s” sounds, which is only really a problem for me when the family goes out for ice cream. My favorite part of the ice cream place is the sprinkles, and I usually opt for a bowl full of them, rather than any actual ice cream.
I’ve always been an inquisitive girl, but on August 5, 2017 I officially entered the “why?” phase. I ask this almost consistently. The answer I’m given never satisfies me, and I usually follow up with eight or nine more “whys” in a row.
Life in the toddler room at daycare continues to be good, although I did have one isolated dispute with a friend over a blue block we both wanted. I bit her, and then immediately confessed to that behavior. I keep on confessing, over and over. Every day when my parents pick me up and ask how my day was, I volunteer, “I bite Evie! I wanted the blue block!” It’s been a few weeks now, but I’m obviously still remorseful.
Speaking of daycare, the thing I love most about the playground at school is the rocks! I load my pockets up with them every day, and come home weighed down each night. I enjoy taking my shoes off on the way to school each morning, which irritates my parents to no end. I’ve discovered that I can excuse this behavior by claiming there was a rock in my shoe. (Psssst, there never is).
Current likes: yogurt in tube form
Current dislikes: When Mommy takes my rocks out of my pockets to do the laundry
August is in full swing, and I’ve been enjoying every minute of it, including apple picking and baseball games with my cousins. One of my favorite summer pastimes is visiting the Travers Zoo in Millbrook, NY. I especially love the lemurs they have there, but also the gift shop! On my most recent visit I chose a small chipmunk finger puppet, which I named Mr. Goleechi Nonya Snickles. Making up silly names for things is still something I have a real knack for!
I’m getting ready to move up to the Pre-K classroom next month, and I’ve already transferred my cubby there in anticipation. In the past I have been a bit rigid and inflexible where change is concerned, but I seem to be taking this one in stride. I’m also working on some other big boy activities, like being in charge of getting myself dressed in the mornings, rather than waiting for Mommy and Daddy to assist me.
I’m also working on saving money in my piggy bank, because Mommy and Daddy are teaching me that I can use it to buy myself a toy. I’m really enjoying shaking my Papa Steve down for pocket change each time I see him.
Current likes: Being a helper
Current dislikes: Impulse control (specifically the desire to hit back when a friend at school hits first)
I moved up to the toddler room at daycare this past month (July 10, 2017 was my first day). Although I love hauling my own backpack around and was developmentally very ready to go, I did cry at drop-off for the first time ever. I’ve adjusted now, and am more enthusiastic about starting my days in that room, especially when we get there early enough that Jack can hang out with me and play a bit before going upstairs with the Pre-K class. While I was dependably napping for at least an hour each day in the infant room, it’s probably less than 50% of the time that I do so now. I’m a hot mess by around 6:00 p.m. each night, but I do love being one of the big kids!
One side benefit of hanging out with developmentally advanced peers is that my sentence construction is really starting to take off. I speak pretty dependably in two-three word sentences now (“no, Daddy,” “open, Mommy,” “my cup,” “that’s my Mama,” and “read it, Mama”). Daddy was particularly pleased that my first subject-verb sentence was “Daddy toot.” We’re a sophisticated family.
I continue to be advanced on the mechanical side, and I’m able to put on my own velcro shoes. Of course my favorite thing is removing my them, usually at inconvenient times and locations for my parents. I know all my colors very reliably now, and I’m also able to count all the way to ten, if you get me started. I can sing quite a few standard children’s songs all by myself (ABC’s, Twinkle Twinkle, etc.), and I’ve also learned certain parts of Jack’s Lion King soundtrack (for example, I like to hum with the hyenas at the beginning of “Be Prepared”).
My current favorite foods are bread with butter (a new discovery), and anything in the pasta family (noo-noos). Yes, I am a carb-o-holic. I’m also really into dairy, specifically Baby-Bell cheese and milk, which I pronounce “mük.” If you put the carbs and dairy together, then you achieve my idea of nirvana: macaroni and cheese.
Current likes: Sesame Street characters
Current dislikes: falling asleep (for naps or bedtime)
