- Mommy, Yaya (Caleigh) go tee-tee. I'll be right back! This often makes us double over in laughter - there is something about a 2 year old saying, "I'll be right back" that is just hilarious.
- Mama, I sick. I need medicine. (the kids both just got over double ear infections)
- No Mommy (in a loud shrieking voice because I was trying to help her), me do it all by self. Caleigh is obsessed with doing things "all by self" right now. She has been seen lately wearing her undies pulled either half way up or all the way up over her belly button (mom undies if you will). She has also been seen wearing pajama pants backwards due to this new "all by self" trend. She is also huge on swimming "all by self" in the big pool (all by self with the help of a little floatie on her tummy and also water wings).
- I need parmesan cheese. Because she is absolutely obsessed with parmesan cheese. (Probably because her mother also is and often sets bad examples that include dumpting parmesan cheese into my hand and licking it off). Which is why Caleigh said at dinner tonight, "I want parmesan cheese in my hand."
- I thirsty. I need apple juice. Yes, she definitely 'needs' apple juice.
- Oh no Mommy, Yaya got an owie.
- Yaya all done night-night. We are hearing this SO much - especially at 6 or 6:30 when she has been waking up lately. This is especially brutal when I have worked until 11 pm the night before and not fallen asleep until 12:30 or 1ish.
- I hungry Mama.
- I tired. I want to go night-night. Oh how that statement is music to my ears.
- One, two, nine, two... This is how Caleigh counts. She knows the numbers but completely out of order and that is also how she counts. She is really good at counting up to 2 though. For example: "Look, Mama's earring. Look, Mama's other earring. One, two earrings." Or one, two knees. Or one, two shoes. The possibilities are endless.
- Oh no Mommy, a fly. Need fly swatter. Because she is totally terrified of all flying things, especially flies and bees.
- Caleigh has been repeating everything, everything. Including some interesting things that Adam and I might say while changing Andrew's poppy diaper that is everywhere... Whoops.
***Caleigh is definitely in that stage of mixing up verbs which I find to be hilarious. We are noticing so many idiosyncrasies of her personality come out. She is very hesitant in general. She seems to have a control idol (maybe all 2 year olds do!) - for example, in the pool she is fine if she is floating and 'swimming' all by herself but if she flips over on her back or someone (her parents) tries to get her to do something in which she would be out of control (jumping off the side, going down the water slide, jumping off the diving board) she absolutely has a complete melt down.
***Caleigh is so shy. In new social situations she is definitely an observer. She likes to be in the background in public (although she is an entirely different child at home!).
***Caleigh is also SO dramatic. This is definitely partly a two year old thing and also probably partly a personality thing. Every thing that happens, from a fly being in the room to bumping her hand on the table requires a disproportionately large reaction. Which is so not me. Although my little peanut looks so much like me I think that our personalities are so different in some ways. Where I was/am a rough and tumble tomboy, she is a feminine and prissy and 'all girl'. She loves to pretend to be a mommy. She loves to wear dresses every day (heaven forbid I try to get her to wear shorts... or to not let her pick out her own dress). But she is stubborn (don't know where she got that from...). And she is smart. And beautiful (that trait is clearly from me... just kidding). And she absolutely, completely, 100 percent loves her brother. And her mother and her father. And when she sees an owie on my leg and bends down and kisses it, my heart just melts. While some of that sounds good...
***We are in the stage of complete meltdowns, or terrible twos. Now I know why they call them the terrible twos. Eighteen months to 2 years was really hard. Then 2 hit and until Caleigh was almost 2.5 I really didn't know what the big deal was with the "terrible twos". Well. Now I know. Caleigh will be walking around and might (very gently) bump her hand into a corner of a table and she will absolutely lose it, screaming, "Oh no Mommy, Yaya got an owie." Which is so hard for me to deal with (growing up as a complete tomboy and still being somewhat of one today) - I am used to 'sucking it up' and not making a big deal of things. Which is exactly how I parent her ("Caleigh, just brush it off. It is fine."). And I have no idea if this is correct or not. I am really struggling with parenting her well right now. One huge lesson I am learning is (interestingly the first bible verse in Susan Hunt's "My ABC Bible Verses."): Proverbs 15:1 says, "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Sometimes when Caleigh is being completely unreasonable (as all 2 year olds probably are) and super dramatic and frustrating I will want to respond to her questions in frustration, in annoyance. But I am thankful that God's good word reminds me that a gentle answer to her will turn away wrath. If I respond harshly to her, it will stir up anger within her soul. I pray that I parent in a way that pleases the Lord, a way that is gentle but firm. Disciplining in love. It is such a struggle! Parenting definitely shows me the ugliness of my sin (much in the same way that marriage does). My prayer is that as we enjoy her and the silliness of this age and as we struggle to parent in the midst of this trying stage that we will love her so well. I am reminded often that, "Love is patient, love is kind... It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs... It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." (from 1st Corinthians 13). I am challenged to be patient with my sweet oldest child, to be kind to her. To not look out for my own self interests or what would be the most convenient for me, but to but her as I love myself. I am challenged to not be easily angered, to not remember her sins and to forgive her quickly, as Christ Jesus has forgiven me and is infinitely patient with me. I am challenged to always hope for her - to be patient as I wait for positive results with her. And most of all to persevere in loving her well. Even when it seems hard (because I am so sinful and so selfish). I am thankful that God's love for me has never failed and never will fail. So I pray! For perseverance. For patience. For peace. That I would grow in love towards my daughter. That I would love her well. That I would parent her well. That I would carefully consider my words to her and that I would respond gently to her. And that I would enjoy her - the beautiful gift she is to our family.
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