Here we are, one month post second birthday. Aaaaannnndddd it's been a crazy month. Twenty-five months is fun? Actually, I think being 25 months is really fun. Parenting a 25 month old is just mostly fun with a side of SERIOUSLY?! Because I can't believe how much she's still changing every month!
At 25 months Avery likes Diego, Wonder Pets, Good Luck Charlie, terrorizing the pugs, macaroni & cheese, any kind of baby anything, barbies, animals, her parents (yea!), and still with the breastfeeding. I know some people are saying YIKES! to that last one, but honestly I never thought we'd still be going. She recently had her yearly check-up and the doctor actually recommended weaning because she's not really gaining weight, I think it was around five ounces since her last appointment. Since introducing solids, she's always eaten much less than average kids her age and the concern is making sure she gets enough nutrients to thrive as an active toddler. She's a really slow eater, she'd much rather grab a bite here and there than actually sit down and eat a whole meal. Believe me, we've tried keeping her at the table with us but when she's ready to be on the go she'll just start throwing the food off her plate! Don't get me wrong, she's still a healthy tot but she's a very light eater which makes getting balanced meals in her belly a bit of a struggle.
Diego is still her preferred cartoon but lately we've compromised on Good Luck Charlie if we're watching an episode at night. It's very cute to hear her ask for "more Good Wuck Charwie." Deran tried an episode of Looney Tunes but then said it was too violent. Oh, yes he did! So Diego it is, even if he does teach things like, "Mermaids are the heroes of the sea!" I'm not kidding, I think that was a direct quote from the episode we watched yesterday.
Avery loves baby dolls, baby animals, baby anything. It could be a little piece of paper, it doesn't matter, if you call it a "baby paper" it makes it cute and adorable to her. She plays more with the furniture in her dollhouse than the family it came with. There are two bedside lamps that are babies and a tall stand lamp that is the mommy. She's really very funny with her "babies."
There's not much that she really dislikes, except bugs and discipline, which are both understandable. She's been bitten by ants so she's learned to stay clear of them. Unless they're baby ants in which case she's, "Awww, baby ants!" But baby ants bite too so we have to be careful. We've seen some lovebugs out lately and she started stepping away frantically shouting, "Squitos! Ahhh! Squitos!" After I explained that while they did look like large mosquitos, they were actually lovebugs, she was all waving, "Hi wuvbugs!" So silly and cute!
Her vocabulary in the last couple of months has really exploded. She says things and asks about things I didn't even realize she knew about. And one of the sweetest of course is hearing her say that she loves us back. Avery & I were sitting around at my parents' house one night and I randomly said, "I love you Avery." And she sweetly said, "Wuv you too Mommy." Some of my favorite things she says are when she asks for "a little help please," "I do it Mommy!" "I seeping (while she pretends to snore)," "me, me, me!" or when she calls herself "Adey Tate" which she does a lot. We called my dad to say hi one day and when he answered the phone she said, "Hi Pop, me Adey Tate here!" And as I just typed that I realized that she calls him Pop now instead of Bop. When did that happen?!
We are still working on learning the letters, counting, and various other toddler skills. She's getting good at identifying several letters in relation to people, places, and pugs. She knows H is for Harper and O is for Oscar. She loves those two puglets a lot and thinks it's great fun to chase them around with her doll stroller, all the while giggling like a maniac.
A long post this month! Lots of things going on, I'm sure leaving lots out. As it's always been, parenting Avery is a joy and we couldn't ask for a better girl. I mean, maybe one that didn't tinkle in the dog's kennel (with Oscar still in it) but you take what you get. ;) Maybe potty training is an accomplishment we can check off next month!
And of course the monthly iPhone photo collage:
Happy 25 month birthday sweet girl, we love you lots!
