Monday, January 19, 2015

Ashlynn at Two and Three Quarters

I wasn't sure if it was too much to do a 2 and 3/4 update for Ashlynn, but I figure in the name of consistency, I'll keep up with the quarterly updates for year 2.  There really aren't too many crazy changes since she turned two and half, other than she definitely seems more like she's 3 than 2.  Even just looking her, while still really short for her age, she just looks more like a pre-schooler than a toddler.

No crazy milestones passed in the last three months, but I'm pretty sure we cleared everything we could in the first half of her twos.  She's pretty much having full blown conversations with us, using correct pronouns, contractions, possession, etc.  Well, aside for claiming things as "mines".. as in, "this is yours, and this is mines".  (I just realized I included that in our last update too, still going strong) Yesterday I said, Okiedokie, and she replied,  What does that mean? with a touch of teenage 'tude.  I'm already not cool.

My least favorite verbal skill is her version of no - "Don't!"

"Don't turn on the light"
"Don't close the door"
"Don't turn off the tv"
"Don't get my coat"
"Don't put on my shoes"
"Don't flush the potty"

and if it's not don't, it's "I'm not"

"I'm not going to bed"
"I'm not taking a nap"
"I'm not going to school yet"
"I'm not getting dressed"
"I'm not taking a bath"

Lots of independence is being asserted around here. She fully dresses herself. Puts on her shoes and coat.  Goes to the bathroom on her own, and even insists on washing her hands though she can barely reach the faucet.  She gets in her carseat and buckles the chest clip. She turns off the tv and brushes her teeth (thankfully she still lets us help get the back).

One of her funnier quotes is anytime you call her a name, she'll say "I'm not".

You're a _____ (insert: princess, angel, smartypants, stinker,  cutiepie, etc)
"I'm not an angel.

....I'm Ashie Hazel Ourlastname"

We just got her progress report from school this past week.  Her teacher said she's really starting to socialize more with the other children, and she's meeting or exceeding almost all her other milestones.  She loves going to school and is always excited.  She was invited to a classmates birthday party next month, and I'm actually looking forward to meeting some of the other parents.

We haven't had her in gymnastics since the Fall, but I am looking into starting her again for the Spring session when she turns 3.  I'm also looking into soccer leagues and dance classes.  I never took dance growing up.  I did gymnastics, but I only liked tumbling not the equipment so my mom put me in (competition) cheerleading instead.  I only cheered until 5th grade, when I finally started playing every team sport I could (soccer, field hockey, basketball, etc etc).  So I never really pictured putting my own daughters in dance, but I know she loves dancing (what toddler doesn't) and that she could benefit from class and then let her choose which she'd rather continue gymnastics or dance when she develops her own preference, not mine.

Last update, I had said how she really starting to enter the "terrible two" phase, not with truly being terrible, but just the meltdowns.  Well they definitely have continued.  She is a drama queen.  Between her independence and knack for consistency and order, she'll just fall to the floor crying if you try to help her or do something differently.

She's definitely entered the picky eater phase.  I don't really stress about it too much since she still eats pretty healthy even if it's always the same things.  Fruit (berries, bananas, peaches), cereal, oatmeal, waffles, peanut butter and jelly, yogurt, cheese sticks, fruit snacks, graham crackers/bunny rabbits, mac n' peas, nuggets, noodles, pasta, quesadillas with black beans, lasagna, pizza, veggies, meatballs, and occasionally fish.  So while nothing fancy these days, it's still better than a bunch of processed food.

Her sleep habits are still about the same.  Procrastinates bed as long as she can and tries to call us back in for random or annoying requests.  However, once asleep she rarely wakes until morning, except for the times she was sick and needed to blow her nose.  She generally wakes between 6-630 and goes to bed between 7-730 (but usually 8 by the time she's asleep.  She will not nap in her bed.  She will nap in my bed or on the couch, usually I get her to in mine.  She'll sleep anywhere from 1-2 hours.

She's doing better with independent play.  I'm not sure she's really doing imaginative play like making her dolls talk to each other, but she's definitely doing pretend play with making everyone meals with her kitchen toys or ice cream cones with her duplos.  She also loves swapping all the dresses of her magiclip princesses and that's probably her favorite toy at the moment.

As for Kenley, she's doing a lot better in terms of pushing her.  She used to push her away if she came too close or took a toy.  She still will occasionally rip a toy from her hands, but it's something we are working on and she occasionally will ask before grabbing (progress?).  She's also good about giving Kenley something else if she wants to play with a toy she has.

I can't believe she's so big.  I look at her and marvel how fast time has flown by and how my little (really little) baby is so big and is really her own little person already.  We definitely have moments and days where I long for her to be in that easy phase Kenley is in or skip ahead until she's a bit older, but I know how fast it will come so I try to enjoy all those other non-crazy moments as best I can.


  1. Oh this is so fun, she & Harper sound so similar!! "No I'm not cutie pie. I'm Harper Eve Garvin" she even does it to Eloise, "no grandma, don't call her fluffy, you call her sissy fluffy!" ;) And all the drama over here too!! Gotta love the adventures of toddlers & their baby siblings! XO

  2. her eating habits sounds pretty dang awesome compared to where were at right now. It's like that past three days all she's really ate was grapes, but were also potty training so maybe she's just got a lot going on? She's the cutest! I can't wait to see how Rae does with sharing with her little sister when she gets here.

  3. We did smoothies a lot over the summer, but stopped. We should probably get back into that again! Poor sweetie, can't believe she's so sick :( I hope she's feeling better that you get to go home!

  4. She is so cute! And I love your stories about her, too funny!

  5. That's hysterical that she does the same thing with saying I'm not and saying her full name, too! We crack up every time, "no, you're aren't an angel? ok, you said it!"

  6. Yeah, they really aren't too bad other than being very basic and bland. She wont eat rice, so no thai or mexican dishes. She is hit or miss about certain veggies. Won't eat soup and has a thing against potatoes. So our meals are very routine, but at least she eats!

  7. That first picture is adorable. This update is so fun and I nanny a 2 1/2 year old and are working on the pushing too.

  8. She is too cute, we have the drama going on over here, too!! Girls! ;)

