Almost Two

Since becoming pregnant I receive, and sometimes read, those weekly development update emails from Baby Center, Parent Magazine (or whoever else is the authority on childhood development). Back in the day (pregnancy), I loved the weekly "produce" updates: "30 weeks: Your baby is the size of an apple!" Regardless of the size, I would immediately crave the baby-sized fruit, which was bizarre. Oh, my baby is the size of a cantaloupe? Now I want a...cantaloupe. Creepy. 

Now subject lines range from sweet: "Signs your toddler loves you" to scary: "Toddler development: 10 red flags." And the most recent: "23 Months and 3 Weeks."

That's about as close to two-years-old as you can get.

Now, I'm not going to get all "man, the time sure has flown by" on you but I will say that I feel unprepared. I feel unprepared to tell people that I have a two-year-old because at two, she's closer to a kid than a baby.


A few months ago we tossed the pacifiers in the trash. Then due to a six-hour road trip, two-year molars and a growth spurt, the nuk was reintroduced. Yesterday, Dan ditched it again. She didn't take a nap but, she went to sleep much easier and slept throughout the entire night (instead of waking up hours later claiming she needed to eat. Or drink milk. Or, you know, just be awake).

It feels like we're in a grey area. A nice area but a grey area. She's not a baby and not yet a kid. It feels like that time between Real Housewives seasons - I'm thankful that Andy Cohen discovered the magic that is the two (or three) part reunion specials. Deep, I know.

I'm not longing for this stage to be over, not at all. This grey area feels uncomfortable at times because she's so in the present moment while we're rushing from one activity to the next. She can't really remember the past and she has no idea what tomorrow will bring.  

She has harsh opinions and lives in extremes. She can talk and let us know what she wants but sometimes she can't verbalize her thoughts. She loves Hello Kitty and painting. Yogurt and applesauce are her go-to foods. Her imagination is just starting to blossom. She's taken a liking to this little lion on wheels - she'll grab it and run around saying screaming "Giddy up Bullseye! Giddy up Jessie! Giddy up Woody! Giddy up Buzz! What Buzz say?" 

She does things like this:

And even though it's hilarious I had to refrain from asking her to clean up something.

The multiple quarters, the mug that she's not supposed to touch, the pillow or blanket, the tanning goggles that came from who-knows-where. As I was cooking dinner, this is what her wonderful mind wanted to do: take a break from filling her piggy bank to get "Mama's coffee," giddy-up around the kitchen, snack on some raisins and then take a little rest with her unicorn and baby blanket.

Apparently this all happened while being shirtless. The magic and joys of toddlerhood.