Hannah - 2 Years

Today is our little girl's 2nd birthday!  Two years old, I just cannot believe it!  Time does not slow down one bit, it only seems to move by at a lightening speed.
  
  
                                                           
 

At two years old, she is quite the little lady. Hannah is so talkative, she never ceases to amaze us with how much she knows and says.  We hear from people all the time how well she speaks, must be all those books she loves and we read to her.  She is putting 5-8 words together. It's cute hearing her talk in the third person, "Mommy look at Hannah" or "Mommy, what's Hannah doing?"  It's funny because I catch myself having a conversation with her now.  I ask a question, she answers back and vice versa.  She is no longer my baby.

Hannah can count from 1 to 12, she can also count on her fingers by selecting each one.  She knows that she is "two" and holds up her two fingers. She can recite her alphabet for the most part, but when she gets to J, she skips to P and continues on from there.  She is able to write the letter "H" and points to it and says "Hannah".  When you ask her her name, she will tell you "Hannah Elizabeth", when you ask her her last name, she says "LaMacchiama". She can tell you the basic shapes and point them out when you show them to her.  She is pretty good with colors, she seems to have the basics down there as well.  At daycare they will start to do some "school" work so I'm sure that will help her learning continue to improve.

Hannah is a very friendly and outgoing person.  She is always waving and saying hello to people, although she will have her shy moments where she hides behind mommy or daddy.  She is a leader and very adamant at times.  Hannah will take control at daycare and around other kids by leading them around or choosing the activity to play with.  We are still learning and figuring out the whole sharing business, this is definitely a challenge.

Hannah is such an independent person, frequently telling us "Hannah do it".  We try our best to let her do as much as she can safely, but sometimes we just have to help.  She is getting good at climbing the stairs going forward, and taking a few steps going down, but it still makes me nervous!  She is running and kicking, and jumping all over.  She has been jumping for about 6 months or so now and when she gets really excited she especially jumps around.  She has also been perfecting her forward roll.  For the past 2 months it has gotten so much better, it makes me smile every time she does one!  My little gymnast!  Hannah is still working on throwing a ball but gets a big kick when it goes straight up in the air and back down behind her.

Hannah loves playing with her babies, rocking and singing to them.  She gets so sad when they are sad, and holds them up on her shoulder when they need to burp after their bottles.  She practices changing their diapers and tells me all the time that she "needs wipes for the poopy."  She still has her favorite animal MooMoo, but boy is he ever stinky.  I wish we could "lose" him but I know she would be so upset.  I wish he would wash up nicer in the washer machine, but I will keep searching for a backup, just in case.  Hannah likes to sing: Twinkle twinkle little star,  Itsy Bitsy Spider, a song I made up called Hannah baby, and The Wheels on the Bus", complete with hand motions.

We have a great bedtime routine that has been going strong for quite a long time.  Typically we read her two "night-night stories" which are "Moose and Mouse" and "Goodnight, I love you."  After we read, we say our  nighttime prayer together (all 3 of us if we are all home), then we sing a few songs while rocking, and off to sleepyland she goes.  Hannah does great with this routine, and we are so thankful that she sleeps so well and has slept so well for a very long time!  We are hoping this will continue as we transition her to her "big girl" room and bed here shortly.

We have been working on potty training pretty seriously for a few weeks.  She isn't very good about letting us know when she has to go, but we put her on the potty about every hour to hour and a half to try.  It seems that every time we put her on, she goes.  Her reward is M&M's, which we call big girl candy, she calls it "big candy".  We have days where she is dry all day, and others where she has accidents in her diaper here and there.  Naps and nighttime are hit or miss, some days she wakes up completely dry, others not so much, but we are getting there.  I think I'm going to try the 3 day method and hope to do it once and for good.  My goal is for her to be potty trained before this next bambino comes along.

We have also been enjoying the lovely terrible two's.  I don't know if its because she is so strong willed, but boy can she be stubborn.  And a faker.  I love when she starts crying, and as soon as the next best alternative arises, the tears instantly stop and she's moved on.  I have to laugh at those moments, she is certainly a little drama queen at times.  We have also needed to use the time out corner for some things.  Lately she is becoming a challenging eater.  When she decides she doesn't want food, she just throws it on the floor.  This ultimately leads to a time out, where she cries and cries in the corner and immediately upon time completing, she runs over to myself or John saying "I'm sorry Mommy/Daddy, no throwing."  She knows, but still does it anyway.  Parenting certainly takes a heck of a lot of patience, but we will get there!

                                                          

24 Month Stats:

-Height: 34 inches (75%) 

-Weight: 25 lbs (27%)

-Head Circumference: 47.2 cm (24%)   

                                                                                                 
Hannah did great at her 2 year check-up.  She cried a little bit when we first got into the room (before she was weighed) but after that, she was good.  She cried for a brief moment after she was given her 1 shot and that was when the nurse put the band-aid on her leg.  Then she wasn't too happy and kept pointing at her "boo boo".  She checked out great, no issues or concerns from both sides.  On our merry little way and our next trip back will be in one year!