2 years old – Peanut Smiles

Kate is 2!!

June 20, 2019June 30, 2019 peanutsmiles

‘Night-night Oats,’ you yell down to William as we’re walking up the stairs to go to bed while waving excitedly. He barely pauses and responds, ‘Night, Kate. Love You.’ And you respond ‘Wuv you too’.

What an adventure these last two years have been. Watching you grow to adore your big brother and sister and watching their love grow for you has been my biggest joy. One of the first things you do when waking is ask for where Lexi or Oatsie is. You love to be with them, wrestle, play and pretend you are as big and mature as they are. Similarly, if they hear you talking in your room, they come and ask if they can get you out of bed. Lexi loves to read stories to you, regularly asks to have matching clothes and can’t WAIT for the two of your to share a room. William will stop whatever he is doing to give you hugs and kisses, loves to share snacks with you and is the most patient little 4-year-old to all of his creations you destroy. It is truly a joy to watch the three of you interact and love each other.

At two years old, your independence, stubbornness and knowing what you want are in full swing. You exercise each of these attributes multiple times a day. I’m not going to lie, it can be exhausting, and we cave in far more than we should because sometimes it is just easier. But it has gotten out of control, and we are being much more diligent to not just give you whatever you want because you’re throwing a tantrum. Praying this is just a phase and really doesn’t last all year long or worse throughout your entire childhood/teenage years.

You put up a fight around bed/nap time about half time. If you are putting up a fight, once we get to your room, you’re fine. If you can say goodnight to everyone, it usually helps avoid a melt down.

You’ve started to enjoy books and will actually listen to them some of the time. When we’re finished, you request to go lie in you bed. I’ll sing a couple songs to you and you’ll sing if you know the words to the songs (Twinkle Twinkle, Row Row Row your Boat, Baaa Black Sheep). Then, I request you to say, ‘I love you mommy’ and you respond Wuv u mommies. I walk out and then you’ll chat and move things around in there for up to an hour.

You take one nap for two to three hours most days, usually around 2:00. Lexi gets picked up from school around 1:30 and sometimes you fall asleep on the way home, but transfer very well into your bed.

For bedtime, you go to bed around 8:00-ish and (falling asleep around 9-ish) and then wake up around 7 am.

Taters, you love to eat. In fact, I would go so far to say you are obsessed with it. All Day. Long. constantly requesting to go into the food cabinet for ‘taaters AKA: Crackers. You love any and all cheese. Fruit is sent to you from the heavens above. And you could give two hoots about meat. You’re awesome at drinking from a regular cup and we almost never give you a sippy anymore, and you rarely spill. In fact you probably have spilt less than 5 times in total. You love eating with a fork and spoon and I can’t remember the last time we put a bib on you. You’ve even started to eat cereal with milk in it!

Baths are iffy. You love playing in them and will tolerate being cleaned, but the ONLY way you will cooperate is if you stand up and I poor water over your head to get your hair wet or the bubbles out. You 100% refuse to lie down on your back. Note to self: I really need to work on that with you this summer in the pool and boating.

You do this hilarious quiver when you get really excited or want something. You used to do it before you would get a bottle too so it isn’t new, but it hasn’t gone away and now you know that it is funny and you’ll sometimes fake it.

Being heard is not an issue you need to overcome. You figured out being kid number three does not mean you are forgotten about. You demand to be heard. like demand! I’m hoping it is just the age you are, but holy smokers. You will yell my name 6+ times in 10 seconds. I’ll have responded to all of them, but you just keep yelling ‘Mommies!!’

You are stubborn. You have your mind made up and you won’t even listen to someone else talk, just demand what you want. Lexi will come to say goodnight to you and you won’t have anything to do with her and push her away, but then William will come up and you’re all hugs and kisses with him. Then 5 minutes later, it has reversed. You will also throw the fit of all fits if Daddy tries to unbuckle you from your car seat when you want Mama to. Or heaven forbid I pick out the wrong pair of underwear.

“I do it!” you yell as I try and help you out of your carseat. The independence of a two-year-old is coming through. However, you can be very clingy. You love help or to hold my hand when you go downstairs and say, thank you mama and if I’m on the floor for some reason, you are climbing all over me. Nuzzling and giving me hugs but never sitting still for more than a few seconds.

As stubborn and opinionated as you may be, you are also pretty shy around new spaces and people. It takes you awhile to warm up and start talking in front of other people–even your Grammy and Papa from time to time. You will rarely wave to people in store or never will answer anyone’s questions if they talk to you–you just bury your head into me and try and become invisible.

You know the different sounds of the different alarms to go pick up the big kids from school. When you hear one, you know you need to go put your shoes on to go see Badgers, or that you are going to pick up Lexi.

You can identify Mickey and the characters and request to watch it, but you’ve never really sat down and watch it or really any other kind of show. You are always moving. Where you’re going and what you’re doing is a mystery to all of us as you don’t ever sit down and play with toys or read books. You just wander, get into things, pick something up carry it to another room in the house and drop it.

Of all three kids, you win the golden star for the most goose eggs and bruises to the head. It is hard to find you without one it seems. You are always walking into the corner of tables or falling off something. You for sure have had more bumps to the head than the other two kids combined.

Things to do/toys

You LOVE LOVE LOVE to go on walks. It is one of the few times you’re quiet. You just sit and observe everything you see.
You love to go down the slide and call it ‘go weee’. You hate swings and request to get off the moment you’re on them.
Love to play with bubbles and draw with chalk
Chase after Lexi, William and ‘Lute’ in the backyard
Push your babies or ‘nonnies’ aka: bunny in your strollers
You have started to like to do puzzles and for the most part can figure out how to move the pieces around to get them to fit.

After our initial go at Potty training in April, I gave it another whirl over memorial weekend. You had diarrhea so it didn’t go quite to plan, but overall you got the concept and you did poop on the potty several times, which I think actually helped you learn how to do it. It didn’t happen over 3 days, but I kept at it and I haven’t put a diaper on you (outside of a nap/bedtime) for several weeks. Last week, we were up at the cabin with the Sampson’s and you didn’t have an accident the entire time–including the car ride. However, you will not go on any potty without your pink little seat–not at home and especially not out in public.

You are in size 4T clothing (and have been for a few months!!!), wear a size 7-8 shoe and weigh around 33 lbs. (You aren’t far behind your big brother as he is about 37 lbs and in 5T clothing, but still wears his 3Ts sometime).

Katelyn, you bring everyone in this family so much JOY! You are difficult and challenging and I’m terrified for what this will mean in 13 years, but encouraged to how you can leverage the strengths of your independence and stubbornness to your advantage. I love you SO much sweet pumpkin. You make everyone laugh and smile everyday and we just can’t get enough of our little taters. Happy 2nd Birthday!!!

Love,

Mommy

Kate

Kate Potty Trains

June 7, 2019June 30, 2019 peanutsmiles

Katers,

After constantly telling me when you were going potty and requesting to be changed as soon as you pooped, I knew it was time to say see-ya later to diapers! We had a weekend that was pretty plan-free so I removed the diaps and let your sweet checks fly. We followed the same methodology as we did with William. Let you run naked so you would start to learn the sensation of when you start to pee. You had 3 mini accidents, one with a little poop and then two when a little pee came out but then were able to pee one the toilet successfully 3 times. You were pretty scared and there were LOTS of false alarms. A Lot!

That evening we were going over to Uncle Joe’s house and you peed on the potty twice but also pooped in your undies. The next day you only had once potty accident, and really had to poop but refused–I think you were scared. The next week, while I was at work, you really didn’t cooperate at all for Daddy. You pooped in your undies many times and wouldn’t really pee for him either, so we went back to diapers. For the most part, you were telling us when you needed to pee so it wasn’t like you were really using the diapers except for pooping.

kate 22 months 3

Two months later, memorial day weekend, I thought I would give it another whirl since we had 3 days. First day went pretty good and you popped once or twice for me. The next day, you came down with some diarrhea, which made me very skeptical on progressing with this process, but you told me every time you had to go and I think the softness really helped teach you how to go on the potty verses pushing out something more solid.

Giving you a hug while on the potty was another little trick that really helped you. If you had to go, you would request huggie and I would squeeze your little torso, rub your back and tell you, it’s OK–just push your poopies into the potty. Lots of Good Job Kate, Way to Go, but it helped give you the confidence you needed.

My favorite was the way your eyes would twinkle when you actually went. You would look at me and say ‘Dood job mommies! Treat!

This weekend was definitely a turning point in the potty training journey for you. You’ll have a couple of accidents here an there but for the most part, are always wearing underwear (outside of naps and bedtime).

You will only go on a little kids potty seat. I’ve tried public restrooms a few times and one would have thought a stranger was trying to rip you out of my arms in the way you reacted. Hopefully, you’ll become more accustomed to them otherwise you’re going to be in a lot of pain holding it or it is going to be really inconvenient for all of us.

Three cheers to almost being diaper-free for us!

Love,

Mama

Day to Day, Lexi

Lexi-isms

December 31, 2014January 4, 2015 peanutsmiles

Sweet Girl,

I swear I haven’t forgotten about posts for you. I have drafts of your monthly posts all the way from August that I need to publish. They are just more involved and I need to find time to finish them.

In the mean time, a few funny things about life with you as of late.

As I was setting the Christmas tree up and put the first section into the bottom stand and the branches bounced down, you exclaimed–“Wook Mama, tree has wings!”

Also in relation to Christmas, we have some metal reindeer that sit near the fireplace and they have some bells around their neck. When you first noticed them, you excitedly told me, “I jingle their balls.”

You’re very confident that the baby is going to be your sister and when we ask you what we should name her, you just say ‘Girl’. Along those lines, over the past few days, with no prompting on my behalf at all, you like to tell me the things you’re going to share with your sister. Randomly, you started talking about how you were going to share books with sister and your pals. I asked if you were going to share Giraffee with your sister and you responded sternly, ‘No, Giraffee mine’.

You love anything and all things trains these days, and every train is named Thomas.

You learned how to open doors this week, which has made things a little more interesting as it is harder to keep you out of certain areas. While celebrating Christmas with Daddy’s family, you opened the door to the basement and went down their to get a toy. I saw that the door was open and the light was on, but didn’t hear any activity going on down there so I shut off the light and closed the door. I quickly learned that you had been down there. Thankfully, you went to the stairs, turned the light back on and came up and started banging on the door. Because the height of the stair is lower, you can’t reach the door handle. I felt pretty terrible about that, but was glad you didn’t freak out at all.

This is your second night sleeping in your big girl bed and so far so good! You haven’t gotten out yet–just gone straight to bed.

You can say your ‘L’s but most of the time they come out as ‘W’s’. ‘Wook, Wexi, Wight, Woud, Wips’

Grandma B gave you a Santa nesting doll and you love to play with it. For some reason, you refer to the smallest one as ‘Baby Boy’.

We had some Christmas show on one morning and Santa came on the screen and you stood up on the couch started clapping your hands and saying ‘whaa-whoo’ ‘Whaa-hoo’!

Thats all for now my love bug. I have so many more thoughts for you around becoming a big sister and how our relationship is going to change. I’ll find some time in the next couple weeks to share.

Love,

Mama

Chirstmas, Lexi

Christmas 2014

December 29, 2014October 15, 2016 peanutsmiles

Sweet Babes,

Merry Christmas.

This is officially you’re third Christmas, but the first one where you sort of got what was going on. We had all sorts of celebrations with families and were very busy. The first was with all of mommy’s aunts, uncles, cousins and their kids on papa’s side of the family. I think there were over 80 people there! Santa came to visit you and all of the other great grandchildren. You were pretty scared of him and refused to sit on his lap. It didn’t help that he arrived just as we got there so you were a little overwhelmed in general but after the fact, you talked about him and continued to tell me how much fun you had. The following day, we celebrated with papa, grandma B, and your auntie She-She, Dustin, Uncle Joe-Joe and Auntie Angie. You had a ball playing with papa and brought every gift that anyone opened to show him.

Then on Christmas Eve, we went to church. You did pretty good with the exception of needing to go to the bathroom twice during the service. Then we went to celebrate with mommy’s aunts, uncles and cousins on mommy’s side of the family. You loved playing with your girl cousins and had fun singing and dancing with them.

On Christmas morning, you slept until 9 am (even though I was up at 7:30 and excited for you to wake up). As we went down the stairs and you peeked through the spindles on the stairs and saw all the presents under the tree, you said ‘Oh my! Oh my goodness!’ So sweet. The opening was a little different than what I expected. We had to keep putting presents in front of you and try and get you to open them. You weren’t too interested. You mainly wanted to play with the toy kitchen from papa and grandma that we had set up.

After a nummy breakfast, we spent the entire day in jammies and playing with your new toys. You loved all the extra attention from mom and dad as we sat down and played with you and weren’t distracted with other house chores as we normally are on a regular day.

Finally, on the day after Christmas, we had Daddy’s mom and dad, sisters, cousins and grandparents over. The boys played hockey and you and Ashley and Courtney had so much fun playing legos. Through all of these celebrations, you were spoiled with gifts–but a few of your favorites have been your train set, new Thomas books and your toy kitchen (and food). In addition to the actual celebrations of Christmas–you have really gotten into singing some Christmas songs, specifically: Jingle Bells, Rudolph and You Better Watch Out. You know about 80% of the words and do a pretty good job singing them. You’ll even play your xylophone while you sing. You also loved all of the Christmas lights on people’s houses. As we would drive, you would get very excited and kick you legs and point and say ‘wook mommy, wook’. You also LOVED the train that went around the Christmas Tree and would ask to ‘wake it up’ about 10 times a day. You sat on the ottoman (Lexi’s seat, as you would call it) and watch it go around and around and around. It never got old. We also made and decorated some sugar cookies with Grandma’s help. You were sorta into it but were more interested in just playing with Grandma.

Merry Christmas love bug. I hope your excitement for Christmas continues to grow and you able to enjoy the magic of the season.

Love,

Mama

Alexis Monthly Posts, Lexi

Lexi is 2!!

December 4, 2014December 2, 2016 peanutsmiles

Happy Birthday my sweet Lexi!!! It is hard to believe you are already two, and at the same time that you are only two. You feel like you have been a part of our family forever and it feels like you are a lot older than two. I remember being in labor, the excitement, anticipation and series of events like it was yesterday.

You bring your Daddy and I so much happiness everyday. Daddy is constantly saying ‘I love the bunks.’ or ‘Lexi is the best/sweetest.’ or ‘I know it’s good for her to sleep, but I can’t wait until she wakes up.’ I couldn’t agree more. I always feel like I am racing to get home from work to see you and can’t get here fast enough. When I am home, I want to be with you whether it is putting you down for bed or being there when you wake up or even having you run errands with me. You have an infectious smile and giggle and the expressions you make and the way you talk with your eyes makes my heart dance with delight. You are a true sparkle of happiness in our lives and your grandparents and aunts and uncles. They love you and can’t get enough time to spend with you.

Your personality starts to come through more and more everyday. You look identical to me when I was your age (when you see pictures of me, you say ‘That’s Lexi’) but I think you have more of your Dad’s personality. You’re pretty shy with new people and new places but eventually warm up (and love to talk!). You’re are just happy and content with your simple little life. You definitely have a little bit of mine and daddy’s stubbornness in you and don’t seem to be a fan of change. You don’t like to change your clothes (and prefer to keep your jammies on all day) and don’t like getting ready to leave the house.

You are quite the chatter box. You talk in full sentences and it is a rare occurrence for us not be able to understand what you are saying. You love to chat to yourself, talk to your pals, announce what you see whether we are driving or what you see on TV or in books. You also are pretty good at picking up on phrases Mommy and Daddy commonly say such as: ‘how about’ ‘hey’ ‘be careful’ ‘get down from there’ ‘i love you’ ‘sweet dreams’ ‘see you later’ and ‘sure’ ‘don’t touch, only look’, ‘no jumping, only sit on couch’–you’ve even nailed the inflection. Some of my favorite things are when you say large words like ‘dangerous. quesadilla and patient.’

Favorite Books: Curious George, books where you need to find things and little princess books
Favorite Shows: Thomas, Frozen, Despicable Me, The Little Mermaid and Dinosaur Train
Favorite Foods: Anything sweet, Chocolate Milk, Juice, Mac’N Cheese, Raspberries, Blueberries, Yogurt, Popcorn, Ice Cream and Fruit Snacks
Favorite Songs: Let it Go, Thrift Shop, Shut up and Dance, Scalliwag, Everything is Awesome
Favorite Activities: Dancing, Running Fast, Playing with Pals, Bulldozer and Diggers, Reading books, Talking, Playing with Papa and Grandma, Taking Baths and Singing songs

You’ve been pooping on the potty for months now, but in the last week you’ve been wearing underwear every day and been doing a great job ‘tinkling’ on the potty. You’re even waking up dry from naps and bedtime. Keep it up big girl!

You can repeat the numbers correctly from 1-15, but I wouldn’t say you really grasp the idea of counting. When we ask you to count, you just repeat the numbers, but don’t necessarily look at the grouping of items and put a number with each object. We’re working on you ABC’s but about 8 letters in you forget the order.

You continue to be a rockstar sleeper. You go down for bed between 9 and 10 and wake up between 8 and 9. You also will take a nap from 2-5 everyday. Daddy and I love to watch you on the monitor when you’re waking up or as you’re falling asleep as you chat, sing songs, move about your crib and just generally be happy for 20-30 minutes before we get you in the morning or before you fall asleep at night.

You know about half of your colors. You’re very good at identifying pink and blue and get green about 80% of the time and red about 50%. You haven’t figured out purple, orange, yellow, black, brown and white yet.

We’re beginning to see what the ‘terrible twos’ are all about. You usually have some kind of tantrum every day. Some days there are many and they are dramatic, other days they are in-frequent and minimal. All of the time, they are about really trivial things like putting your boots on or not allowing you to play with chapstick. You definitely throw more of a stink for me than anyone else. Going to the bathroom and leaving the house are the most common reasons for you to have a tantrum and it usually consists of having your body become limp like a spaghetti noodle, kicking screaming and throwing your body in all directions to make it very difficult for me to get you to do anything. Sometimes, I just walk away and let you have your moment and within about a minute or so, you come find me for some comfort. It is amazing that I can make you that angry, but you almost instantly forgive me and want some love from to console you.

Lexi, Daddy and I love you so much and feel so blessed to have you in our lives. We can’t wait to see what this next year brings you and how you are going to react to being a big sister.

Love,

Mama