Marching Toward 3

Sweet Potato,

You are now officially 2.5 years old. We've had a hard few weeks lately. You pushing the limits and asserting your strong will and Mommy and Daddy trying to pick our battles. Sometimes, fighting you to get dressed just isn't worth it. Other times, like when you want to go to the museum, it's necessary. Despite the long days, we know our years with you are short. Your enthusiasm for life, the highs and lows, is absolutely contagious. Parenting you is a challenge but mostly from an energy standpoint. We can't keep up!

At this stage of the game:

• You are very verbal. There isn't a pause, mute, or volume control on you-- I've looked. Despite your chatter-boxing, we love to hear you. 

• Mispronunciations/Sayings:
• Balentime = Valentine
• Pepperoni = Parmesan
• Wackamole = Guacamole
• Rabioli = Ravioli
• Plementime = Clementine (imaginary friend & the fruit)
• Chick a flay = Chick-fil-a [Tante and Uncle Clayton, she would like a family outing here... you game?]
• Got-for = forgot
• "Hey! I have an idea!" Generally stated when the last thing you want is an idea. :-)

• Art plays a big part of your daily activities. You are all about stickers and crayons and dot paints, but mostly the stickers. 

• Singing. You love to sing. It's off key, wrong words, multiple tunes, but you do it with gusto! Favorite songs to sing and have sung are "Jesus Loves Me", "Jesus Loves the Little Children", "I'm in the Lord's Army", "My God is so Big!", "Away in the Manger", "The Lord is Gone" (otherwise known as "Joy to the World").

• Reading. We've noticed that you cannot get enough of books lately. You sit for longer periods and want us to read Hello Kitty, Happy Valentine's Day, Little Critter!, Plant a Kiss, and Owen. You are also reading to yourself. It's a joy to watch.

• Exercising is a growing pastime of yours. You frequently practice your push-ups and running. Spring cannot come soon enough. You desperately want to be outside running, playing, and burning calories. Truth be told, Mommy and Daddy can't wait either. We miss our family evening walk/runs.

• Places:
• Kid's Club on Wednesday night remains an absolute favorite. We're forever indebted to our neighbors for inviting you.
• State Museum. You've explored the little kid's Curiosity Connection and Daddy has taken you to see dinosaur bones, trucks & sleighs, stuffed animals, and a Native People's display. The last exhibit wasn't your favorite. However, riding the escalator certainly is!
• Library. You adore playing with the kitchen, doll house, and trains. You're also taking a greater interest in picking out your own books.

• George still goes where you go. 

• Imaginations:



Building a truck at the museum's assembly line.

• You love to play with your friends Leo (imaginary), Ella, Livi, and Aidan (all real friends that become imaginary). They come over to play or you talk to them in bed. You give them toys to play with, hugs when they are sad, and remind Mommy frequently not to step on them. :-)
• Due to a crazier than normal schedule, we've eaten out quite a bit. You have taken to pretending to get food. You walk to our back living room wall, reach up to the windowsill and order at Wendy's "French fries & chicken nuggets please. Thank you." Then you walk to the other side of the room, turn around, walk back and, "Hello Bells [Taco Bell]! A burrito for Mommy. Thank you. A burrito for Daddy. Thank you."
• Grocery shopping is also a large part of play. You and Daddy frequently pretend to go to the grocery store for potatoes, strawberries, watermelon, and carrots.