More Amazing Tales of an Almost Two-Year-Old

I know that part of the reason I'm so amazed by Lilah's development is because I've never really watched this closely as a kid learns. I mean, I was always amazed at how advanced our nephew was when he was little, but by the time he was two, he was talking in full-on sentences and I think had his MFA in English. I'm serious - he was amazing. So while Lilah is nowhere near that advanced, I'm still impressed with how complex her thought processes seem to be for someone who could only say about 5 words this time last year.

She's stringing together all kinds of "sentences," for example, she now tells me "Mommy's hands cold!" when I pick her up to take her for her bath at night. And that she can understand a little bit about possessives and plurals is amazing to me. I mean, sadly, there are Kindergarteners who can't correctly use a possessive or a plural, so I am glad to know she won't be one of those.

Also she's very good at expressing her wants and needs. The other night when I put her in her crib, I laid her on her back and covered her with a blanket. We said goodnight and as I was walking out of the room, she stood up and was saying, "BACK! BACK, MOMMY! BACK!!!" so I, thinking she was just trying to get me to stay longer, asked her what was wrong with her back. "BACK!" she repeated. When I went over to the crib, she handed me her blanket and quickly laid down on her stomach. "Back, Mommy."

She simply wanted to sleep on her stomach, and for me to put the blanket on her back, because she doesn't know how to pull it up when she's on her stomach. As soon as I put it on her, she blew me a kiss and said, "Nigh nigh, Mommy" and that was that.

Now, there is a lot of what she says that I know Ben and I are the only ones who understand. But she will just repeat herself until you get it. LOL

Some new words she says:

Arach = Orange
Buddah = Butter/Peanut Butter
Bock Bock Magnets = Chicken nuggets
Mants = pants
Boo, Mean, Mink, Bahbul = Blue, Green, Pink, Purple
Bicka Bell = Tinker Bell
Coconuts = Hot Dog Dance

She has also started to tell me to "MOVE!" and will forceably drag me around or try to pick me up if she requires my presence elsewhere. This morning while I was on the phone, she moved me through the house to her little kitchen. Later she moved me to a chair where I was supposed to sit.

She also has become very loving to her dolls. She has been miserable cutting her 2-year molars, and asks daily for a "Pill teeth!" The other day she told me her Tinker Bell doll needed a pill for HER teeth. I "put" some medicine on Tinker Bell's teeth and handed her back to Lilah, asking her if she was all better now. Cradling Tinker Bell, she said to her, "Better?" and then gave her a kiss on the cheek. It was the SWEETEST THING I HAD EVER SEEN. So I know that she already knows to care for others, even if she's not good at sharing :-)

She loves going to church to "pway" with the other kids. She especially likes to see my friend Mary, and will scream "MEEEREEEEEE!" when she sees her. Yesterday after lunch as Mary was putting her older two daughters in the car, Lilah sat next to baby Henry on the ground, petting his head and rocking his car seat while talking to him. Sweet, sweet child!!

Also at lunch yesterday, she and Mary's older daughter, Virginia (who is 3.5) got into a very spirited debate over just who exactly was Mommy in the group. Lilah would point to me and say, "No, THIS Mommy! THAT Miri!" and point to Mary. VA would then say, "NOOOO! THIS is Mommy!" and Lilah would start all over again. They were laughing the whole time, so I don't know if their debate was just that funny to them or if they knew that we had names other than Mommy. At any rate, it was hilarious.

She's pretty good about taking naps and going to bed at night. Some nights after we read, she'll just say, "Bed, Mommy." and I put her to bed and don't hear from her again until the morning. She really only fights naps, even though she's not ready to give them up yet. I can't tell you how many days I end up moving sleeping Lilah from the car to the bed when we've been out running errands.

She is just so much fun and I am really enjoying watching her learn and grow. Now if we can just get those stinking teeth in so she can quit being so cranky...