Violet at 2 Years

Growth & Appearance: Your hair is ever growing. You got your first haircut two months ago just to trim away some of the scraggly baby hairs. It's smoother now and has already grown longer than before the cut. You seem so slim now. The hints of baby are fleeting, for when I look at you I see someone who is so grown up. You have a tiny brown mole on your back.. There's also a tiny one in your hairline that I first mistook for dirt.

You weigh 31 lbs and are exactly 3 feet tall. You're in 3T clothing and size 6-7 shoe.

Teeth: Eighteen. Your two year molars just came through on the bottom.

Development: You're adventurous and eager to learn. You love being outside and spend a lot of time looking for birds and airplanes. You are fiercely independent. You like helping and participating in everything I do. You walk alongside me at the grocery store (and sometimes run bravely ahead) eager to help make selections and place them in the buggy. Last week you were adamant about a 10 pound bag of flour and grew incredibly frustrated that you couldn't maneuver it off the shelf.

There's a farm beside our house that we drive by slowly so you can see the sheep and the horse. Anytime we're in the car you're busy looking for cows. You like animals and have a toy barn you play with every night. You cram all of your small animals and figurines in the silo. You often ask to stay up late and play with your barn or dollhouse.

You're very eager to help me around the house. You like to help me unload the dishwasher and place the washer tabs in there. I often find you wiping things down with baby wipes because you've seen me do it. You always help me transfer clothes from the washer to the dryer. You also feed Apollo every night and get upset when you accidentally drop his food in his water bowl. You usually fish them out with your fingers.

You say thank you a lot. You thank me for changing your diaper, for preparing your food, for giving you drinks, bathing you, everything. You also thank any strangers we interact with like cashiers.

You like wearing hats around the house. You also like to get into your sock drawer and bring them to me asking me to put them on your hands.

You love painting and drawing. You always ask me to draw moons and cats, then you'll attempt to draw them alongside where I have. You can draw a decent moon.

You love digging around in the dirt looking for worms. You call them “wums” like you're British. Anytime you're playing with playdough you roll out dough worms and present them to me. You have this things about bugs. For a while you were really afraid of them, but lately have came around a bit and spend a lot of time looking for them.

Talking: You have started combining 2-3 words to form small sentences. You've recently learned "go away" and say it a lot when you want to do something by yourself. You will also say "need heeeelp." Anytime you hear a strange noise you'll say "What dat?!" or "Who dat?!" You learn a new word every day. You've started calling me Mommy and I like it.

Eating: You eat well most days. You love oatmeal, grapes, beans, popcorn, yogurt, applesauce, bananas, peanut butter, and raisins. You also really love chocolate. You like to snack.

Sleeping: Lately you've been going to bed around 9:30 and getting up around 8. You nap from around 1-3. You have a new toddler bed in your room, but you're still sleeping with us. However, you have napped in your bed and you like to lay in it and say "Night night!" and pretend to sleep. You also tuck your stuffed animals into it every day.

Favorites: Painting, playdough, your dollhouse and barn, being in nature.