Wades of 108: November 2014

I haven't done an Ava update since 18 months (and of course I'm 2 months late with this 2 year post) so she's practically a teenager by now. In looking back at the 18 month post, she seems like such a baby compared to now when she seems more little girl than baby with every passing day.

She's talking in sentences now although she still alternates between short phrases or single words (especially when she's upset or really wants something, like "lunch!!!"). I think her speech is pretty clear although occasionally I can't understand and Daddy needs to step in and translate (not sure why, but he's better at knowing what she's saying sometimes).

Some funny things she says are "come on now!" (as in, I want you to come here or do this), saying Snow Wipe instead of Snow White, and "hold you" when she wants to be held (I haven't had the heart to correct her). We went to a pumpkin patch at the beginning of the fall and after that she called all pumpkins "punkin' patch!" She also uses "how 'bout" in a funny way. Like instead of asking for something she'll say "how 'bout ___?" As we were walking down the stairs one morning she looks up at me and says "How 'bout pancakes? I'll try it. With dip dip!" (which means syrup).

She's doing a lot of singing now too. Some favorites are Let It Go (which I woke up to her singing in the crib this morning), Twinkle Twinkle, Ashes Ashes (Ring Around the Rosie) and Rain Rain Go Away. And not a day goes by that she doesn't request Shake It Off. She can say her ABCs and count to 14-ish (but a lot of time she skips around).

She potty trained right around her 2nd birthday, thanks to daycare. I really had very little to do with it other than buying her some Elmo and Frozen underwear. She took to it pretty quickly, I think mostly due to modeling and peer pressure from others in her class. Score one for daycare! She still has the occasional accident but for the most part she tells us when she needs to go and when we're home she'll do the whole routine practically by herself.

Favorite outside activities include sidewalk chalk, riding her "four wheeler," going for walks and playing at the park. Inside she likes playing with play doh, coloring (although sometimes she'd rather me color and her direct than color herself), and LOVES stickers.

TV favorites are Sofia the First and Barney -- yes, there are 10 year old episodes of Barney available on-demand (which on our HDTV look like you're watching something from 1982) that have sucked my child into a show that has been off the air for 5 years. She's also obsessed with Frozen and I recently introduced her to the magic that is The Little Mermaid. We're going to Disney at the beginning of the year (!!!) so I'm starting to introduce her to the princesses.

Ava's personality is really starting to shine. She can be a typical terrible two toddler, complete with whining, demanding, melting down, and the occasional hitting/throwing (followed by her own "not nice!"). But she can also be really affectionate, sweet, silly, and fun. Happy 2 years Ava!