BTLA: 2-year update

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

2-year update

Our "little" Solstice boy is two today!

At two, Iver weighs 21.5 lbs (4%). He is in about 18-month pants and 12-18 month shirts.

He sleeps through the night about 70% of the time in his own full bed in his room. We generally ignore the night wakings on the other nights, but they are still not extinguished. When he "sleeps through," he goes to bed around 7:30 or 8 and wakes up between 4:30 and 5 a.m. (his internal clock really likes 4:45 a.m.). He does about an 1.5-hour post-lunch nap, but usually at least one day per week, he's overtired, and naps twice or in the mid-morning. He either ignores or turns off the toddler stoplight alarm clock these days.

He still nurses before bedtime and upon waking, but I am really, really, really over the breastfeeding, and this week, am working on cutting out any nap-associated nursing (he does fine when I'm away/on call or at daycare but cries bloody murder when I'm home). For the past two months, he has been a great eater of solid foods, after 22 months of me fearing he was going to waste away. He loves fruit (raisins "gigi", pomegranate "pom", pears especially right now), yogurt and cereal bars, rice, meats (especially meatballs), broccoli, peas, and green beans. He thinks carrots, potatoes, and kale are particularly "yucky."

He is very communicative and quite funny. He will put together 3- or 4-word phrases (and commands... he's quite the bossypants) and has more than 100 words, picking them up and imitating us daily. He knows his colors, counts partially ("one, two, three, four, six, eight, ten"), his age, full name, and impresses us with his vocabulary and statements. He loves to sing "Itsy bitsy spider" and "Happy Birthday." He understands a lot of Vietnamese and will say a few Vietnamese words, too.

He has learned to "skip" (more of a gallop) and jump, and is a daring climber. He's still very much an energetic, intense and "strong-willed child," which has continued to been emotionally challenging for me, with tens of battles per hour (over choice of underwear, pants, shirt, jacket color, getting changed, sitting on the potty, breakfast, snack, carseat, etc.) when we're together (he seems to behave better at "school.").

We are working on potty training him, the concept of which he really understands, but which his iron will is proving difficult. He goes to daycare in tiny undies and often stays dry or tells the teachers when he has to go potty, but does have about one (pee) accident most days (he still uses diapers for naps and night time). This could be a very long process with this child (smart but incredibly stubborn), but I'm motivated to stick with it so I can stop having to wrestle him/do diaper laundry.

It's been an overwhelming and exceedingly difficult two years, and it's hard to believe we are still standing, but I do love this little guy with my whole heart.

This past weekend, we had a very low-key joint quadruple birthday party for the "December babies" of 2014. We rented the Judo Hut (with baby gymnastics equipment), brought a few snacks, and could visit with our adult friends while the kids and toddlers bounced around the equipment. It was a fun time for all!