IJ is 30 months (2 1/2 years) old!

1.6.12

Note: We intended to do updates every 3 months for IJ's second year but ZJ was born the day his 27 month post was due. Instead we did one the following month and are now getting back on track with his 30 month post. And yes...I was able to create the novel below with 2 months worth of updates.

IJ is now 2.5 years old and living up to all of the stereotypical things said about kids his age. It is difficult/draining to deal with him at times. He is having power struggles and wants things his way. He does things purely because he knows we don't want him to and often does the opposite of what is requested. He has started yelling "No, go away!" when we approach to do something he does not want us to do. He has even figured out he should yell "Oweee" in an attempt to make us think we have hurt him (when we have not) during power struggles. He will say he wants something and doesn't want it in the same sentence.

At other times, he is as sweet as can be. He gives hugs and kisses to us, his sister and his friends. He now tells us he loves us and tells his sister too. He likes to help take care of his sister by patting her back, covering her with blankets and helping to change her diaper. He will "share" his favorite toys with her by placing them on and around her.

IJ's current favorites are construction vehicles, other vehicles, riding his bike, playing at the park, his train set and puzzles (now able to complete ones with traditional shaped puzzle pieces). He likes doing crafts that include painting, cutting with scissors, gluing and playing with play dough. He also likes scooping, measuring and mixing when we bake together. He still uses his doggie for comfort by sucking his thumb and placing the dog's tail up his nostril and always sleeps with him. He continues to love our bed. He never willfully leaves it and would play on it all day if we let him. He also frequently sprints to it and attempts to climb it when he is supposed to be going elsewhere.

IJ comes up with new and different, hilarious or insightful things to say on a daily basis. He repeats everything we say. His imagination is impressive. He pretends all kinds of every day objects are other things. He sees something and next time he is playing he has recreated the same scene. He creates lots of things from his legos. His favorite is to use anything to "cut the grass" while he makes loud noises. He recently noticed all of the vents on the ceiling and says they are "scary." If someone asks what time it is he says "1:28" every single time. He typically greets his sister with "Hey ZJ hey" and always points out "ZJ sleeping" or "ZJ crying" and frequently says "I don't like the screaming" especially if we are in the car. When he creates things he likes to say "How 'bout dat?!" He loves to be naked and will always yell out "I'm naked!" even when he sometimes isn't fully to that state. When we point that out, he looks down and yells "I'm not naked!" and then usually gets to that state. He is obsessed with the concept of matching and constantly yells "It match!" when he sees things in the same color, shape, or just a pair of identical items. He is identifying letters on signs frequently and remembering some letter/sound pairs. He is even close to being able to count to 10 in Spanish. One of his favorite phrases is "it's not working" and apparently his teachers got a good laugh when he said that while trying to pee at school. He picks up a lot of things from watching TV shows and I'm amazed at what he retains and repeats at later times. He also likes to sing songs he has heard from TV shows along with making up his own to sing later.

He has recently stopped acting jealous when I breastfeed ZJ but for a while was still getting upset sometimes and asking for "his turn" and wanting to lay on the boppy or large cloth diaper I keep under her. When given the opportunity to breastfeed it is clear he doesn't really want to/remember how to. He also has asked to be burped and to spit on my shoulder.

IJ still attends school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He is always resistant to go into the classroom but always tells me he had fun. He likes to play with the cars and trucks but participates in all activities. We had parent/teacher conferences last month and he is meeting/exceeding all expectations.

IJ only wears diapers at night when home but wears them during naps at school. He still doesn't ask to pee except very seldom when we have forgotten to take him and he really needs to go. He also always says no when asked if he needs to go. So, it is still our responsibility to take him frequently. He is peeing (and pooping) in his diaper over night/in the morning but I think he is capable of waiting to pee till morning and going on the potty because he went through a short phase of doing so before going back to peeing/pooping in his diaper in the morning and proudly announcing he has done so.

His night sleeping has been really good. He goes to sleep quietly on his own with no complaints other than "have to read a book" before bed. He generally sleeps from 8 pm to 7 am give or take some. If he hasn't napped we put him to bed closer to 7 pm. He is skipping naps more and more lately. It seems like we either have to really wear him out or he has to have skipped a few naps in a row to take one during the day. I don't really mind because I still put him in bed and leave him for at least an hour. He will talk, sing, play, take all of his clothes off and anything else he can think of doing if he is not tired. I never know what I will find. He has recently taken to climbing inside his pillow case and wearing it like a sleeping bag. I once caught him straddling the crib rail and I thought we were going to have to switch to a toddler bed. But, he wasn't even trying to escape, he was "riding the bicycle" and since has not done it again.

He has been eating quite well and at a time where it is generally hard to get children to try any new foods he has been willing to taste and sometimes enjoy new things. I don't ask him to eat anything he doesn't want but I ask him to taste everything and only eat what he likes. He seems to be doing this more and more lately most likely because he is not forced/pushed. He has gotten into the winter fruits this year and enjoys oranges, grapefruits and apples. He still loves sweet potatoes, beans, raisins, dates and any bread product. Tortillas and bagels are favorites right now. A new food combo he likes is cereal with milk (almond or coconut), before we only gave him dry cereal.

He has had 2 colds (both in December) since the one when ZJ was born. The first I wasn't even sure if it was a cold due to the minimal nose wiping required but when ZJ got sick I knew it must have been one. The second brought on more congestion and lasted longer but neither slowed him down or seemed to make him feel badly.

He is now 29 pounds and 35 inches tall.