AW: Birthday Post

I'm going to be an AW for a moment and say happy 2nd birthday to my little girl! I think this is going to be a great year. Something has changed in my DD in the past two weeks as she approaches two years old, and she has turned into the sweetest, most affectionate little girl. She's always been a blessing, of course, but she's also been very challenging in many ways, ever since she was born. As a baby she cried all the time and had a very hard time sleeping. Around 10 months old, she started to sleep better, but the tantrums started and never let up. You may recall a post about the struggle we had every day at daycare pick up where she wouldn't let me put her coat on and cried big hysterical tears that I was taking her away from her friends. That lasted from 10 months to 23 1/2 months, and I dreaded pick up every day. (She made a similar scene for my husband at drop off in the mornings, so it wasn't just me.) I've never been able to get anything done around the house when she's awake, because she throws a fit and cries at my legs.

Two weeks ago we took a family vacation together, and ever since then things have been different. She's happy to be dropped off at daycare in the morning, but when I come to pick her up she practically leaps into my arms, saying "My Mommy!" and covers me with kisses. She likes to watch me cook and clean, and pretends to do the same in her play kitchen. (Next on the list, I'm going to get her a play vacuum!) She has started to sleep until 6:30am instead of 5:30am. The tantrums have nearly disappeared (but not entirely). She knows there's a baby in my belly, and she constantly asks to kiss the baby and tickle the baby, and then tells us all to be quiet because the baby is sleeping now. She's like a whole new little person (with the same dramatic flair) and all of the sudden I feel like I can't get enough of her.

I'm not sure if it was the vacation - we've never been able to spend a whole week together, all three of us, just having fun, so it was definitely a great bonding experience - or her age, but whatever it is, I'm really enjoying her right now. Maybe we just got through the Terrible Two's a year early?? (Uh oh, I probably just jinxed it...)