Twenty Two Months

Another month closer to officially being TWO YEARS OLD (and I'm already planning the big soire)! This month has been a doozy, I must say. We have had lots of fun going to the pool, playing outside, making friends with neighbor kids, having LOTS of Mama and Madeline time since Daddy's been on the road a lot, & eating cold treats on the new screened porch. I think Madeline would live on the screened porch if we let her. She requests to "open door" (meaning our kitchen doors that lead out to the porch) all the time. Our sweet Madeline is still just that --- sweet, funny, full of personality, talkative, and easy going. She continues to love her books although she's officially moved on from her board books. Now, she "reads" those to us, and we read more lengthy books to her. Madeline's current favorite authors are Mo Willems and Eric Carle as she chooses those books to read all the time. Her Fancy Nancy books are also favorites. Madeline REALLY loves to color, and now she's into having me write her name. She then "writes" her name too. It seems as though over the last month she's picked up on the concept of the ABC's and counting. Although she doesn't say the ABC's nor count properly, I do hear her "counting", "reciting" the letters of her name, and the singing ABC's while she's playing. Madeline talks non-stop, and she's discovered the phrase, "Watch ME!" or "Watch this!" All day long I hear, "Mommy, watch this (me)!!" and she does something random. It's funny because she's so proud of herself. Some of the older girls at the gym nursery taught Madeline "Ring Around the Rosie", and she loves singing that song. Her favorite part, of course, is the falling down part. It's hilarious.

Unfortunately, I would not be telling the whole truth this month if I didn't include the unfortunate behaviors that come along with this age. WOW! Madeline's stubbornness and irrationality has really reared its ugly head this month. Temper tantrums occur over anything at any given moment, and many times it's over something really silly (in my mind) like her purse not staying on her shoulder or her stroller getting stuck in some tiny place that she's maneuvered it into. I fully expect the tantrums over things I make her do or don't allow her to do (naptime, leaving her friends at the gym, fasten her carseat buckles, eat chocolate for dinner, etc.), but these tantrums over toys not cooperating seem a little over the top. I've had to have several "Mama Time-Outs" on the front porch in order to keep my wits. (Of course, Madeline is in the house safe from anything dangerous screaming at the top of her lungs & flailing around.) I have found she gets really mad when I stand on the front porch (because I'm ignoring her), but the tantrum will end more quickly & Mama gets a much needed time out. I suppose she realizes she's getting nowhere with me, so she simmers down. It's a learning process for all of us, and I know it's just a stage she's in right now, but WOW, this is one stage I am ready to leave! We've unfortunately had a few of these incidents in public places, and I've had to be that Mom carrying her screaming child across the parking lot like a sack of chips & then wrestle the angry child into the carseat. She's been really fighting naptime and bedtime too....throwing major screaming fits for 10-15 minutes sometimes longer. I haven't quite figured out what her deal is except that she's just not wanting to hit the sack. It's awful because if I go into the room to console her it just starts all over again, so I've had to just let her work it out. The girl has some serious lungs and stamina is all I have to say. I hope this is short lived and part of this temper tantrum phase. It's been interesting to see this really nasty side of Madeline come out since she's normally so sweet and fun loving.

And, my favorite recent development is that Madeline seems to have turned into a "girly girl" over the last month. Rarely do we leave the house without some adornment of bracelets, purses, hairbows, interesting shoe choices, and a dress. I actually tried to put her into a practical outfit one day (shorts and a cute top), and she refused. She screamed, "NO!! A dress!!" Madeline loves to use the hair dryer, put on lotion, and put on make up. I've finally had to create a little make up bag for Madeline filled with puffs (cotton balls), a powder brush, an eyeshadow brush, and some old makeup that is used up, so she can do her make up while I am doing mine. It's pretty hysterical to see her dotting her face with her puff and dipping it into the empty make up jar I've given her. I'm happy about her girly girlness since I'm pretty girly myself. It's just cute to see her all decked out in her purses, bracelets, and hairbows.

She's a dear little girl with a big smile, lots of hugs, and a ginormous personality. We love her dearly.