When Hailey turned two in September, I braced myself. Here it comes, I thought. I kept waiting for Hailey to have consistent epic meltdown, to despise all food, to rebel against everything I say. Well, it seems she may be saving most of that for when she turns 14, because I’ve really, really enjoyed her being two so far!
Communication. She speaks in short sentences now (Hailey eat eggs cheese! or Mickey time TV please? More hug kiss please! Baby eyes closed night night. Mama food hot- cool off!). I love that she can communicate so well, yet I still love that words and sentences aren’t pronounced perfectly. I keep trying to get as much of the cuteness on video as possible.
Attitude. Hailey is proving to have a sweet nature. She has her occasional tantrums, for example, I let her completely melt down in the cart at Target one time because I refused to give into her demand for my phone while she was screaming. That was a fun battle of wills for us, as well as for all the other customers. I’m sorry.
However, most of the time she’s incredibly sweet. She gives unsolicited hugs, kisses and Eskimo kisses when she is having a fun time. She’ll just run up to hug and kiss me. It’s my favorite.
Sleep. She is still sleeping beautifully from 7pm-8am. Sometimes it will take her a while to fall asleep, but I only know this because of the video in her room. She is quite as can be and just plays with her dolls and blankets until she’s ready to lay down and pass out.
Naps, though, are becoming more elusive. I put her down at 1:00, but she rarely falls asleep before 2:00 or 3:00. Again, I only know this because I can watch her. She is quiet and plays with her dolls until she eventually falls asleep. I’ve been waking her at 4:00 at the latest. So far, she’s still ready for bed at 7:00, but sometimes she’s grumpy if she didn’t fall asleep until later and I have to wake her. Some may see this as a sign that she is giving up naps, and maybe on some days she is, but I plan on maintaining a quiet time in the house between 1-3. If she wants to sleep, wonderful, but otherwise she may play quietly. I’ve noticed that having some down time works well for her, and for me.
Meals. I’m thrilled that she’s still a good eater. She certainly has her preferences towards toddler food. For example, if I put sourdough with melted cheese on her plate, along with tomatoes and avocado, she’ll down the cheese first and ask for more. However, a simple ‘you can have more if you still want it after you’re done’ nips it in the bud and she’ll move onto the other options. I’m maintaining the food philosophy of me deciding when she eats (3 meals and 1 snack) and what is on her plate and she is allowed to decide whether she wants to eat and how much. This means I don’t push the clean plate club, however tempting it may be at times. There are times when she is distracted that I do sit with her and help her eat, but otherwise, it’s all her. I’m very satisfied with her eating habits at this point. She even tried a beet yesterday! She only ate one and was done, but being that I’m still not a huge beet fan, I couldn’t blame her. I was just excited she tried it!
Favorite foods currently: Peach yogurt, goat cheese, avocado, clementines, red peppers in her eggs, soup (usually it’s my lentil soup mixed with a grain to be thick), dried mango and water WITH ICE. Gosh, she loves ice in her water.
Other tidbits I want to remember:
She’s taken to showers over baths. She hates to stop playing for bath time now, but if we give her a shower option, she excitedly goes and throws all her clothes in the hamper (the I’m ready sign). We get in together and she’ll soap down the walls and spray them off over and over, grinning the whole time.
She likes to ask for two of everything. If I ask if she wants a banana, she’ll say TWO nanas. So far breaking things in half when she isn’t looking is working.
She is usually pretty good with manners. She uses please and thank you regularly.
She likes to clean up any mess, no matter how small and always throws trash away. She’s into cleanliness and will cry OH NO if she spills. It makes me feel bad, so I keep telling her messes are ok; we just clean them up. She’ll holds things up and ask me ‘trash?’ then run over to throw it away. She brings me her plate when she is finished eating and loves helping me empty the dishwasher, naming each item as she unloads it. Ailay’s plate!
She has now experienced Mickey Mouse and is in LOVE. Watching her sing and mimic the dances to the hot dog song makes me giggle. She knows her colors, and uses them correctly 90% of the time. She is doing better with numbers everyday and made it to 11 yesterday on her own. She’s VERY into books right now. We read at least 3 every night. Her favorite right now is Where the Wild Things Are. She asks for Max by name.
She often switches out mama and dada for mommy and daddy now.
If she gets worked up we have a time out. She’ll go sit (usually I go with her) on the stairs and is allowed to get up when she can calmly count to 5 (soon to be 10). When she gets up she has to give hugs and say sorry for ____. Surprisingly this is working pretty well right now.
She’s very good (in her mom’s opinion) with imaginary play. She loves carting her doll around and rocking her, putting her to sleep and feeding her. I can’t wait to see her be a big sis! She loves her play kitchen and grocery cart and will play with them solo for extended periods of time. However, she loves being my helper in the real kitchen most of all.
Things on our To Do Soon list:
Potty training. Putting together and moving her to a big girl room & bed. Getting rid of the paci for car and bedtime. Probably in that order.
I love her more than words can express! Two is such a fun, fun age.
I’d really love to tackle potty training soon.
If you have experience, what is your #1 tip?!
Karen says
I would refrain from taking the paci away , changing rooms and potty training all at the same time. She may find too much change overwhelming and potty training will be a failure. Pick one and wait a month and then move on to the next. Little ones like routine, as do most mommy’s:)
Good Luck.
Brittany Dixon says
That’s what I’ve heard and I want to take it slowly, which is why I want to get started 🙂 I’m not anxious about any of it because I know we have time, but certainly am ready to get the ball rolling. I will say though that a lot of my friends around here have potty trained kids (younger than H!). That’s probably why I’m so set on getting that going.
And I’m totally with you on my love for routine!! 🙂
Madeline @ Food Fitness and Family says
Em is the same way about two of things! She holds out her other hand for a second piece and I find it hilarious. We won’t be attempting potty training until March when I have a week off school so you better believe I’ll be FB messaging you for tips if you’re done before then 🙂
Brittany Dixon says
Gosh I hope I have some tips to share come March! If she resists strongly, I’m just going to hold off, but I’m really ready for her to learn it! We’ll see 🙂
Lauren says
My biggest tip for potty training? Don’t use pull-ups. Once you decide to potty train, go for it. I think pull-ups (except at naps and bedtime) are confusing to them. If she isn’t ready, you will know it and can try again in a month or two. Good luck! Make it fun for her!!! I’m about to potty train my fourth:).
Brittany Dixon says
Great tip! I bought pull ups for us to try and did not like them at all. I think they would be confusing, too. I think I’m going to try the potty boot camp route, but we’ll see! 🙂
Erica says
You are giving me baby fever! She sounds like she’s at such a fun age right now.
Erin says
I totally agree that 2 is a really fun age. I loved the twos; it was the threes that I found challenging.
Potty training advice- don’t drive yourself crazy. They all get it, eventually. That said some kids need a push and I am all for cold turkey- straight to underwear and no pull-ups. This even worked for us and nighttime training a boy who had never woken up dry. There were “accidents” but within 2 week he was 100% trained. Good luck!
Brittany Dixon says
I think I’m going to try cold turkey too. I’m prepared for accidents, and if she really hates it, I’ll hold off for longer. Just want to give her an opportunity to learn! Thanks for the tips 🙂
Kelli says
I have 2 (they are 7 & 8 now ) but I did cold turkey IMO best way to go !
Verna says
My son didn’t potty train until 2 1/2 and that was probably too early. He did pretty well with it but it was just a very LONG drawn out process. He’s almost 4 now and has it down about 90% of the time. I definitely plan on waiting until closer to 3 with my daughter, unless of course she shows a LOT of interest.
Brittany says
For potty training I would have to say no pull ups! My son used pull ups but they were such a waste, except in the car on long rides! With my daughter we just let her run around all day in nothing but panties and would reward her with a treat or sticker when she went potty. When she took a nap we just put a few towels under her. We spent a week at home not going anywhere and just focused on potty training. She pretty much had it down after two days and was only 1 1/2 (early i know)!
Good luck I am sure it will go well.
Lia says
You seem like such a good mom. I love the consistency, schedule and quality nutrition you use with her. I bet that’s a big part of what makes her such a great kid!
Michelle says
Two is very fun and really wasn’t terrible. Although, I vaguely recall 2.5-3.5 being hard with my oldest son. My daughter really wasn’t challenging until she hit 4. Actually, this year has been some what of a disaster for us. Probably due to the new baby and just hormones. We are close to 5 though and I SEE THE LIGHT! Honestly, there are days when I want to pack her up and ship her out, but I try to take a step back and remember that she won’t be like this forever and that I am still her WHOLE world.
As for potty training – don’t push it too hard. It will happen when she’s ready, with a little guidance and consistency. Mine were both closer to 3 when it finally clicked and it happened virtually overnight. I tried a few times before then, but they weren’t getting it and it became a control thing. It’s not worth it! When you do feel like it’s time – you’ve got to go straight to undies and let her wet herself… she’ll quickly learn she’s not a big fan!
Brittany Dixon says
Haha, I love your candor Michelle!! H is such a sweet girl that I’m sure the one I have on the way will be full of sass. I know they’ll both give me a run for my money, just like I did with my parents. But I suppose it’s a good thing to raise an independent girl who can stand up for herself, like your sweet Livie!
Kristen @ notsodomesticated says
I love these posts because it makes me excited for the future. I don’t want to rush Addie growing up, of course. I love the stage that she’s at right now. But it’s fun to see what kinds of things she’ll be doing as she gets older! 🙂
Rachel says
I would also suggest tackling one thing at a time! Change can be tough for kids. Also if potty training doesn’t “take”, stop and start over in another couple of weeks. My daughter potty trained a few weeks out from her 3rd birthday. We had maybe 2 previous attempts before that. For the big bed transition, we started with naps in it for a couple of days. After that my girl was asking to sleep in it at night.
I never understood the “terrible two’s” phrase. My daughter was a breeze at two. It was 3 and now 4 where things get sticky! Every age brings a new stage, some sour with the sweet. It’s parenting after all!
Brittany Dixon says
Oh no, so it comes at 3 or 4?! Darn it!! Thought I escaped it 😉
Great tip on potty training. I plan to do the same as you- give her the opportunity, but not force it. I am hoping she’s ready though!!
Kim says
My daughter potty trained just before she was 2 1/2. We tried once before that but she just was not able to control her bladder well enough yet. A few months later when her diapers where dry more often (including during naps) and she started to tell us when she was peeing, we gave her one more week and then said she was going to switch to big girl underwear, no more diapers. She picked out some panties she liked and that was that. She had accidents the first week but we just changed her and put the big girl undies back on. After that she had only had very rare accidents when she gets too distracted playing, so we have learned to remind her to go use the potty every so often when we know it is more likely she may forget. Good luck to you!
Ali says
She sounds so sweet! I’m glad that you didn’t have the epic terrible twos. I hope I can bypass that phase too!
Avery @ YoungAspirations says
Love that age two is such a joy for you! Good luck potty training! Looking forward to hearing what works!
Kelsey says
So Sweet ! I love this post as my daughter was born in July, 2011 so they are just a few months off. We’re planning on doing a potty training bootcamp (a week) after the holidays:)
Brittany Dixon says
Same here! After the holidays, I’m planning on it being POTTY TIME. New undies in the stocking and all 😉
Jillian @ Baby Doodah! says
She is adorable! This makes me so so excited for Emmett to continue to grow, though I’m not rushing his current stage. He’s pretty adorable and fun now!
I am not looking forward to potty training, but after reading everyone’s comments, it seems if you wait until they are ready, that things aren’t so bad. That’s great news!
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says
Awwww she is SO cute!!!! I love hearing about what stage she’s in 🙂 she sounds like such a joy!
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables says
She is so stinking cute!!! I can’t wait to pick your brain on being a mom. You are incredible girl! xoxo
Amy says
Yes I agree, two was awesome! I loved that year so much. It has definitely been age three that has been the challenge! And of course that coincided with her little brother being born so it’s been a fun year 🙂 For potty training, I waited until about 2 1/2 when my daughter said she was ready for underwear. At that point there was nothing to it, we put underwear on her and she just went in the potty. We had tried before then and she didn’t want to so it was so much easier to wait until she was ready and agreed. Still wear pull ups at night though because I hate getting up with her and I really don’t want to deal with the bed-wetting that will happen.
Chantal says
I agree, two is such a fun age! Penny turns 2 next Monday and I just love how vibrant she is right now. Sure, there is stubbornness and battles of will plenty of times, but normally she’s pretty cheery and easy going. I love her communication skills right now too.
jodie says
I’ve worked with toddlers and done potty training. What has worked best I have found is putting them in undies and not going back to diapers. They will have accidents and hate the feeling. That will teach them best. At naptime remind her she only wears her diaper because it’s naptime.
jodie says
Oh, and no food rewards 🙂 but that’s my personal belief.
jodi says
Hey Brittany!
So here’s my thoughts on potty training since I am soooo wise after one child.. ha ha… (and I didn’t read above comments, so sorry if this is repeat). At 20 months I totally thought AG was ready bc she actually sat on the potty one day with her PJ’s on and told me she was going potty!! So I bought pull ups (terrible idea! point #1 NO pull-ups!!!) and thought yoo-hoo she’s ready!! nah, just curious. Then I totally ignored it except to occ say, you want to try? sometimes she did, sometimes she didn’t. Then at school, they would ask her every hour and check her and that seemed to really jumpstart her (plus seeing all the other kids– point #2 peer pressure works wonders…) and then just doing panties or no bottoms at all esp when home—point #3. AG totally potty trained me. I had nothing to do with it. ha ha. Now she still wears a diaper at night, we are tackling that in January. And poops she always tells me and then I put on a diaper and she goes in the closet/pantry/private p lace… ha ha. I always mention want to try the potty (she went twice early on and it FREAKed her out!!) and she says no. I am going to push it a little more in January with bribing. A boy in her old class got skittles and jelly beans (I know artificial dyes/sugar..ha ha ) and she mentions it ALL the time. So that’s my plan. Point #4– when in doubt bribe her. ha ha!! I totally forget to ask her when we are out and thankfully she reminds me she has to go. I totally sucked at the training part except to say she trained me… 😉
Liz23 says
My son was potty trained at 25 months.
What worked:
Reading a few board books about using the potty over and over and over again. (and over again)
Letting him see me and his dad going to the bathroom.
The book, Oh Crap Potty Training, was great! It really helped me and I would suggest it!
Ab @Sugar & Spice says
Hi! I am a long-time reader of your blog; first-time commenter. 🙂
The two’s can be made far less terrible when you set your kids up for success with healthy eating to regulate their mood. Your wisdom with healthy eating for kiddos is what attracted me to your blog in the first place, so thanks for that! 🙂 I’ve noticed a big shift in my kids’ behavior since we started eating more healthy. Also you can avoid meltdowns your toddler has a set routine and knows what to expect at every point in the day… which you also have established! I am of the mind that even when kids no longer need the nap, they still need the predictability of a quiet time every afternoon, whether or not they sleep. But that’s just my two cents. 🙂
(And of course being a healthy, balanced Mama sets a good example for your kiddos. Calm, happy Mama means calm, happy kids!)
I’m sure you won’t have any trouble with potty training. My biggest challenge was staying calm about accidents. I’m about to train my third and I’m reminding myself to go in with the expectation that I will have a mop and sponge attached to my hip for the first few weeks. Getting upset or taking it out on your toddler will only cause them to regress. It’s SO hard when you’re wiping up your 14th puddle of the day, but it gets better!
Good luck!!
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char eats greens says
I love the timeout trick. I just told Tyler it too haha!!! I’m glad that she’s disproving the terrible two’s. Can we please tell Nia to do the same in a year. Ok, so Nia just saw Mickey and Minnie in the intro of Wheel of Fortune tonight and just was in LOVE. I don’t blame the girl or Hailey…Mickey’s pretty cool!
Christene Krause says
Hi Brittany, I have just found your blog and find it very inspiring. My husband and I have two children, a 7 year old who has always been a great eater of all foods, and a 1 year old who is turning out to be a challenging eater. While I offer her many healthy choices, she inevitably chooses all things that are not vegetables. At what point (how old was hailey) did you begin the “you can have more of that favourite thing after you finish your other options”. And how did you deal if she choose not to eat anything more even if you sensed she would be hungry?
Thanks!
Christene
Brittany Dixon says
Hi Christene! I wish I could remember exactly when I started doing that, but I don’t. If I had to guess it was probably around a year and a half. I always tried to put 3 mom-approved options (one always being something I knew she’d like) on her plate, so if she only are one or two options, I was happy with what they were. I never forced bites of foods, I’d just continue to offer and try to switch up the way things were served (mixed in other foods, on their own, carrots sticks vs carrot diced, etc). She went through phases (from loving black beans to not touching them) and I wouldn’t really acknowledge it. The last thing I wanted to do was make meal time stressful.
Lastly (and this might make me sound like a mean mom so only do what you are comfortable with!) I never worried about her going hungry. I would serve large enough portions of the 3 items that if she only ate one or two, she’d be fine. She has always been fine on the growth chart so I don’t worry about weight. I would also sometimes save her dinner (what was left of it) and if she was hungry later, she could have that as an option, but I wouldn’t make her something different.
Also, as a side note, I usually don’t offer fruit on the plate. Sometimes H would get on fruit kicks (who can blame them- it’s sweet!), so I’d use fruit for a snack with cheese, but not usually a meal because I didn’t want her to just focus on the sweet.
Ok, I’m rambling here, but I love talking healthy eating for kids! I only have experience with my one child and look forward to seeing how it goes in 6 months with my youngest daughter. I might have a whole new perspective to write from! 😉
christene says
Hi Brittany,
thanks so much for your quick response!!! No need to worry about rambling, the more info and suggestions the better for me!
I was hoping for a little more clarification… So for lunch I usually try to serve either scrambled egg or almond butter and jam sandwich with a veggie. Currently the only veggies that are consistently happily eaten are tomatoes. Sometimes cucumber, edamame, steamed broccoli, corn (for what corn is worth!). My problem with my little 1 year old is that she is SUPER inconsistent, what she might eat on one day, she will refuse the very next day!!! Tonight we tried raw and lightly stir fried raw sweet peppers (she tasted and chewed both (seemed happier with the raw) but didn’t swallow much of either!) and that was new for her. I have been trying nearly every day for a week and a half to get her to eat potato, but it’s not working!
So are you suggesting that I always put tomatoes with either cucumber, edamame or broccoli, and then a third veggie that is new hoping she might eat it? I find she eats all the tomato and immediately looks for more, and chances are if there is nothing more, that is it. I often follow up lunch with a fruit and yogurt but now am wondering if this is expected and that is why she won’t eat anything more.
I do try not to make a big deal of anything, but i am often disappointed given that she is quite small and i always hope she has an appetite for something. She once did fall off the growth chart!
BTW, she is not always into meat or fish either, nothing but noodles and tomatoes (and fruit) is a sure bet.
What’s your suggestion?
Thanks again, and good luck with #2!!!
christene says
Oh and a couple more things in addition to my last questions (look who rambling now – but i really want my little one to eat healthy too!!!). When H stopped eating black beans did she start again later? Because Rose was eating asparagus, green beans, peas and zucchini and now will not touch them at all. 🙁
Brittany Dixon says
Sorry it took me so long to to reply! It’s tough to tell you exactly what to do because every baby is different and I can only go by what worked for Hailey. If weight is a true concern for you, I’d listen to what your doctor says and go by that.
The overall focus I try to keep is not to make meal time stressful. I think they can pick up on stress from a very young age, so I never served Hailey food with hesitation or fear. I went by the rules of I decided when was meal time and what was on her plate and she could decide what to eat (from that selection) and how much. I tried to keep sweets (fruit, flavored yogurts, etc) to a minimum. Personally, I never offered something else after a meal. Sometimes I would put her plate in the fridge and she could eat off it later if she seemed hungry.
I always tried to make sure there was at least one thing on her plate I knew she liked and usually make sure the is a protein, a healthy fat and a veggie.
H did eventually eat black beans again. I’d serve them every so often with a different spice or in a different form (mashed in a quesadilla versus whole for example).
If I were you I’d just do my best to keep doing what you’re doing in a relaxed way. If Rose likes noodles, try mixing them with a pureed avocado to make it a cream sauce. Or if she likes tomatoes, try dicing some up and mixing them with beans or cheese. It’s a whole lot of trial and error and you’re right, there tastes can change from day to day and the best we can do is try to roll with it.
I’d love to hear how things develop in the next month or two so let me know if you get a chance. Good luck!! And PS- if you are thinking about it this much, it’s easy to see you are a GREAT mom and doing a wonderful job 🙂 Keep it up!