My Many Letters To My Children: Wow, You're 2.5!

This past week or so has been rough, a reason I haven't been writing many letters. One bright spot in all this is that you turned two and half this past Monday! I cannot believe how quickly you are growing up! I am so happy to be your mommy and watch you and experience you in my life and watch you in yours. I am also a little sad because this is going so quickly.

Your latest thing, singing. You've always liked to sing, but now, you sing all the time and are surprisingly learning tone too! You are never quiet and I love it. You sing Mr. Golden Sun, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and so many other songs you learn from school. You also clap to the beat of the song you are singing or listening too! Music is in your blood baby! But that also means, when you are quiet, you're doing something you shouldn't be. (smile) Just the other day you were singing, then silence. You came to us with a mouth full of colored rocks. Um, not a smart move baby girl. We don't want you to choke.

You also like to repeat, EVERYTHING. We always try to watch what we say but it is even more important now that you are getting older and like I stated, repeating everything. You take your toys that talk, and push their buttons over and over again until you know what they will say next and you say it with them. It's funny and at the same time, we then hear "Elmo Loves You! Elmo Loves You More!" over and over again. (smile)

With this oppressive heat wave we've been having, we've been playing in your little pool on the patio. It's big enough just for you. You love to splash around in it and I love watching you start to have a love for the water as your mommy does! I'm hoping to get you into some sort of swim class but still hopeful I can take you to your Uncle Steve's pool or Aunt Laura's pool and start working with you myself. Anywho, one of the things you love to do....is drink the pool water. EWW! (smile) So we are working on that and your smart self has said, ok, they don't like me drinking it, I'll lick it. Silly girl.

One thing, and I'm guessing this has something to do with you being two and learning what's acceptable and what's not, your tantrums aren't as fun as we'd like. (smile) But who likes a good tantrum? For a while, I have been using the "count to three" method on you when you were not listening and it seemed to work. All I would have to say was what I'd like you to do fill in the blank followed buy ONE. You'd stop, sigh, and do what I asked in the first place. Never had to go to two or three. Well, come to July 2013 and that has changed somewhat. I still count to three but now, more times than not, I have to get all the way to three. Sometimes it results in you yelling "NO!!!" and doing what I had asked. Other times, well, you and "The Step" have gotten to know each other very well. (smile) There are even times when you have done something that I have told you not to do over and over and you look at me, and say "I need to go sit on the step mama." But if you do something and we have to put you on the step, GAME OVER. You get quite upset.

You are also have a bit of the flare for drama. We affectionately call these times Twama (two and drama). (We also have what we call two-itude, two and attitude.) You are a very passionate person and that passion leads to some full blown drama meltdowns. Occasionally it leads to you screaming at the top of your voice in an not so nice tone and those times, you sit on the step (see previous comments about not liking it when we put you on there). But it's also in that passion that I know you are going to be a lover and a fighter. You will love deeply, and hurt deeply just like your mommy. It makes me sad that you will have these hurts but at the same time, we are trying to teach you now how to handle these hurts in an appropriate manner so that when they happen as an adult, you know how to react. We love you so much!

One last little note, when you were born, I decided to learn how to crochet and make crafts. I even opened a "store" to make and sell items! It's called Kreatively Krystin. I haven't been updating it much lately but hoping to get back to it. But that doesn't mean I haven't been busy crafting with you or for you! Back when you were born, I made you your newborn blanket (I made it oversized and you are still using at 2.5 and asking for it every night) and since then TONS of different hats for you for all seasons and holidays. I even made you your first birthday outfit with the help of Aunt Maria! Just recently, you have loved what I've made and try to put it on yourself, even if it's not something that can be "put on." And I love it. Your enthusiasm for what I am doing melts me. You are my inspiration little girl. It's all you and I hope someday to teach you how to make some of these items yourself. :D

Here are a couple pictures of you, my 2.5 year old:

Swimming in your pool: