Dear Eliot: Two Years

Dear Eliot,

Now that you are two years old, I can tell people your age in years, not months.  I tried that when you were a year, but people just acted confused.  "How old is he?"  "A year and three months."  "Whaaat?"  "...Fifteen months..."  "Ohhhh!"  Like months makes more sense?  From now on, I'll just say you're two or two and a half or three.  Whoa, wait a second.  Three?  Let's not get ahead of ourselves here.  You're two.  For now.

We've had a lot of changes this month.  First, we moved, which was no fun for babies.  It's no fun for anyone, but I think that the past month or so filling out paper work, packing, moving, and unpacking has been especially un-fun for you.  So much boredom.  However, you were a great sport and love the new house.  We let you run around everywhere.  No more baby gates!  About time!  You're a big boy, and without the threat of dangerous stairs going down to the basement, we're all much happier.  Not to mention the backyard.  Every day, it's "go-er'side" and we can't get you back inside, even when it is coooold!

Also, did I mention that we finally announced our big, big change to everyone?  Yep, you are going to be a big brother in July (or maybe late June)!  The funny thing is that it was like you knew before us.  We had been hoping for a baby, but before I could test, you pointed to my tummy and said "baby" frequently.  We hadn't coached you into this at all.  Trust me.  I don't know if you understand all the way now (because after we started trying to tell you there was a baby inside, you'd point to your tummy and say "baby" too), but I like to think that you had secret baby understanding or something.  I know you'll make a great big brother because you love babies.  You might get jealous some at points, but we'll work it out.  I joked that we needed to get you a baby brother or sister because you think you're a dog.  The dogs are your best friends.  People think I'm joking until they see you drink out of the dogs' water bowl (bad idea!).

Along with the changes has come a lot of celebration.  You had your second Christmas, which was even more fun (though smaller) than last year.  You received a train table along with some fun new toys, but your favorite present was a box of Gushers.

Then, just a couple of days ago, you had your second birthday party.  This year, both sets of grandparents could come (my whole family was knocked out with a puking virus last year) along with some friends.  It was a Cars-themed party with lots of balloons and streamers.  I wanted to get things that make you happiest, so for your cake, you had a strawberry-frosted donut and cupcakes for everyone else.  Your dad says that one of his earliest memories is eating a strawberry-frosted donut with his dad.  I wonder if yours will be the same.

The theme of this letter is seconds.  About a week before your party, you got your much-needed second haircut.  This time, you weren't as laid back.  And maybe that was because the stylist actually went through the effort of trying to get it straight, getting it wet, and using clippers for a final touch.  However, after a little bit, they gave you a lollipop and it went much better.  You did great in the end.  And it looks perfect!

In earlier letters to you, I'd write about your cognitive, physical, and speech development.  I hardly know what to write about these things anymore because you seem to be doing everything!  You have preferences and sureee make them known.  You like Finding Nemo and eating peanut butter sandwiches and flipping light switches off and on (over and over...) and pressing buttons at the aquarium.  When we try to stop you from getting into trouble, you push us away, point, and command us to "go".

You recognize letters, but usually call them E, L, I, O, or T--notice a pattern?  It's your name!  We have been working on shapes and colors too.  You don't always say the right color, but you generally bring us the right colored items when we ask for them.  For shapes, you certainly recognize stars for sure (I never really considered a star to be a shape necessarily, but PBS and Disney do, I guess), and you're getting better at the others.  I honestly haven't been working THAT hard, so I should pick it up because you catch on fast.

You love to color.  You demand to color all the time and also make others color along side of you.  You always ask what each color is, give everyone the color you want them to have, trade colors frequently, and show us exactly where you want us to color.  Micromanager or what?

 

 I am happy to say that you are finally eating again.  For about two months, you just stopped eating most things.  We kept you going with smoothies full of nutrients, and I tried not to stress, reminding myself that it was just a phase.  I kept offering you food and eventually you just started eating again.  Everything all the time!  Weird, huh?  Maybe it was a teething thing.

Did you know that you were once a little newborn?  Because I have trouble remembering.  In my mind, you have always been around as a two-year-old boy.  Maybe that is why you turning two hasn't bothered me as much....  And you still love to do baby things that I think many toddlers grow out of, like cuddling.  We love you as our baby, even though you aren't a baby.