2-2-2-2 (added videos)

Today Gianna is two years, two months, two weeks and two days old.

(Gotta love those little birthday tickers!) 

I remember reading one particular blogger's thoughts about her growing children.  She keeps closing her eyes and remembering exactly how each of her children were at two years old.  That was her magical age in her heart's memory.  I think of that often - especially during those LONG days of parenting a two year old - that this is the good stuff.  Many of these moments is what I'll sit in my rocker and remember when I'm old and gray older and grayer.

So here's my effort to record some of what Gianna is doing at TWO. This post is really for me, but read along if you'd like.  I'm just going to jot things as the come to me.....

"Good Mawning, Mommy!" is the first thing I hear when I enter her room each day.  "How you?"

Not such a shabby way to begin a day!

SLEEP

She still sleeps in her crib....and frankly, I'm in no rush to move her into a toddler or regular bed.  She seems to love being in there.  She's not yet tried to climb out (that I'm aware of.)  I'm sure somewhere between 2 1/2 and 3 -- we'll be transitioning to a bigger bed. We still put her down at 7pm, but there is usually a 30-60 minute variety show that happens in the confines of her crib.  And it doesn't matter what time we put her down, there's still a show.  There are nights when we have special things going on when bedtime ends up being 8:30 or 9ish.  Still a show.   Some nights are hysterically funny.  She often recounts conversations and events of the day, but mostly it's song and dance (and a little jumping thrown in for good measure.)

No matter what time she actually goes to sleep she almost always wakes up within minutes of 7am. Every now and then she sleeps later....and that's usually on weekends when Iain's home to get up with her. Go figure.  We think it's because there's far less traffic that she hears on weekends.

Naps have gotten shorter --- and I'm not thrilled about that little change.  For a while is was down to 45 minutes which was wearing me out, but now we're between 60 and 90 minutes with an occasional two hour jackpot.  She typically wakes up singing, so I usually let her have karaoke time in her crib for a good 20 minutes after she wakes. I usually know just when to get her once I hear, "Oh, MOOOOOMMMMMMY, WHERE AAAAAAAAAAAAAARE YOOOOOOUUUUU?"

SONG and DANCE

She sings ALL the time.  Loves music. Loves instruments. Loves dancing. But there's rarely an hour that goes by that she's not singing.  She is one of those people that hears a song once or twice - and knows it - or most of it.  She, like her mommy, makes up the words that she doesn't remember.  And she just recently started making up songs on her own. So funny.  When we're at church and the choir stops singing, she shouts out requests, "Trading my Sorrows!"  "We are Dinosaurs!"  "I'm gonna Catch you!"  The people in the pews nearby get frequent chuckles from watching our  munchkin.

CHURCH
I wish I could say I look forward to church each week....but apparently this is just one of those seasons in parenting where is just a lot of work.  Honestly, anyone who goes to church with us would say that Gianna is an angel during Mass.  And she really is good for the most part...it's just that it takes effort every minute of the hour (plus) we're there in order to keep her quiet and pleasant.  We managed to give up the 'cry room' about a year ago.  We still get up occasionally with her, but is to stand up in the back of the church with her.  On a couple of occasions, we've had to remove her from the church completely.  One time, Iain took her to the car and they waited for me.  That was a bad day....but she remembers it and it hasn't happened again since. (Knock on wood.)

MEALS

She says grace by herself and has gotten into the habit of dragging it out very slowly....and it interrupting herself by saying, "Hi Mommy!"  "See Gianna's painting."  "Where'd Max go?"  Little turkey! 

As a baby, she had the best appetite and ate anything.  These days, she loves a food one day and is not at all interested the next. I'm just rolling with the punches.  I promised myself I wouldn't get into battles over food...and for the most part, I haven't.  I just get creative with food choices and meal times.  Some days her appetite is small and other days she's ravenous. Overall she has a really healthy diet.  She loves fruit and most vegetables...although every now and then she has 'texture issues.'

I'm kinda surprised we've made it this far avoiding fast food and drinking only water and milk (with the exception of occasionally spiking her water with a little bit of juice.)   It hasn't been easy, but I'm really glad we've made the effort.

What's is really interesting and surprising is that Gianna is not proficient at feeding herself.  It boggles me.  She still asks, "Mommy do it?"  I guess part of the reason might be that she recently decided she doesn't like being messy or dirty.  I'm not making a big deal about it.  She's gotten better over the last few weeks, and I'm fairly certainly that she'll have self-feeding master by the time she starts school. :)

Not potty trained yet....but they're have been big developments in that department.  Post coming soon!  She's in a size 5 diaper still and my goal is to end diaper-wearing with that size...without duct tape!  We'll see.  That's another area that I'm not pushing in. 

SIZE

Gianna weight almost 30 pounds and is almost 34 inches tall.  People think she's so big, but she's really more on the average size.  Her clothes are 2T, but can also wear some 24months and some 3T's.  Her waist is tiny and even her 24m jeans are too big.  She's come a long way from Princess Puff-a-lump!

MISCELLANEOUS

Since hitting two - she's definitely amped up the DRAMA.  Forced crying is her latest skill - and if I manage to ignore it (it drives me nuts) she'll stop mid-cry and say in the most matter-of-fact tone, "Mommy! I crying!"   AND, she works on her crying and her drama faces in the mirror! Heaven help us! Gotta love those girls.

Memory. Holy cow, this child's memory is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!  (I actually have a really good memory too.  I have very vivid memories at her age and before.)  She remembers who gave her things, she great with names, and never forgets a place.  She can even remember conversations that she had six months ago.  If floors us.

Within a couple of weeks of turning two, her verbal skills hit warp speed.  She's been really good at communicating from the early sign language days, but all of a sudden words, turned into sentences with turned into full on conversations. As wonderful as her ability to speak is, there are moments that we pray for silence.  Can't seem to find the "off" switch on this child.  I remember my mother telling me that she used to hide in her closet, because I wouldn't stop talking.  I guess this is what you call payback. 

Oh, and we deep in the throws of repeat a word, phrase or request ENDLESSLY!  The other day we were all in the car and she repeated a phrase 37 times.  THIRTY SEVEN times! I repeated, "Deliver me, O Lord." about 37 times after that.

As many times as I'm challenged, frustrated, and feeling completely overwhelmed in my parenting efforts - I am so grateful for this remarkable child who is really one of the most delightful, loving and precious kids I've ever known.  Really.  It's no secret I love this child "big, big like the moon" ---- but I have to say, I like her, too.  I really, really, really like her.

Happy 2-2-2-2 day, Gianna!