Two Is Terrific!

Second Daughter turned two earlier this week. We celebrated on Sunday, starting with a chocolate chip pancake as big as her head (a tradition Kansas Dad started a few years ago). She usually eats her pancakes, but instead she dug out the chocolate chips and handed me the crumbled pieces of pancake that remained saying, "My no like dis part."

After mass, we had lunch with Grammy and Paw Paw, and presents, cake and ice cream!

Here are the kids before lunch posing with their presents. First Son and First Daughter decorated the wrapping paper for Second Daughter's presents from us. First Son drew a train. First Daughter drew a camel and a box with pants (but only one leg).

Kansas Dad helped Second Daughter blow out her candles. First Daughter and I made the cake earlier. She had expressed a desire for confetti cake, so we added sprinkles to a box mix. (I just didn't feel up to making a real cake.) The cake turned out fine, though none of the kids are big cake fans. They mostly ate the sprinkles and the ice cream. Paw Paw also kept Second Daughter well supplied with candy from the dish on the table. Just one of the many reasons he's one of her favorite people!

I know a lot of people fear the "terrible twos," but I absolutely adore this age. Of course it can be frustrating. Second Daughter can express her desires very well, but sometimes I don't think she always knows what she wants, so there are often tears.

There's no other time of such great discoveries, though. She is learning so much about the world and her little part in it. We are learning so much about the thoughts floating through her mind. She repeats all the phrases of our daily lives and reflects back to us who we are as a family in a way only a two-year-old can.

She's just as likely to belt out "Stinky Stinky Diaper Change" (to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star") as she is "Jesus Loves Me." (Luckily, only the latter has been performed at church.)

She "makes toffee" just like Daddy by stirring whatever is in her cup with her spoon (which makes for some interesting concoctions, depending on what she had just been eating with her spoon).

She will often stomp around and yell "bad day" just like her brother (which is especially cute since she doesn't always seem to know what "bad day" means), not that we encourage that behavior in First Son. He's still learning to control his emotions. (Aren't we all?)

She adores her babies. She often carries one or two or three, calling them "baby, boy baby and boy baby." They are usually unclothed (which she'll do immediately after asking for help in dressing them). She will often change their diapers. She loves to hold them close and bounce or rock them, usually singing "Rock-a-Bye-Baby."

She follows her older brother and sister in their pretend play, carrying a toy of the same ilk they have temporarily adopted (a stuffed dog, a Veggie pirate, whatever) saying "Dait for me!" And most of the time, they do wait for her.

"My do it!" is heard over and over again.

She likes to dress herself, with varying levels of success. She often finds it easier to put on her big sister's clothes.

She loves shoes. The kids aren't very good about leaving them by the door on a regular basis, but even if they do, there's a good chance Second Daughter will run off with them. First Daughter's are the best for this purpose as they are very easy to put on, but still stay on most of the time.

She loves books. Nearly any unhappiness can be dispelled with an offer to read a story, which she'll pick nearly at random from the bookshelf. She doesn't mind if you just talk about the pictures; it's all about the snuggle time.

She'll often interrupt story-time, yelling "Dait for me! My told!" She'll run to her bedroom and pull her blanket from the crib and return with it draped over her shoulders. Never mind that it's 100 degrees outside (and can't be under 80 in the house).

Oh, Second Daughter, I am so pleased to share this time with you!