Two and a Half

She's technically 2 3/4 now, but I guess I'll still consider this the "two and a half" post, since I actually started writing it a few months ago.

" I paintin' "

Such a good mommy!

Reading to Jaya

What to remember about Alyse at 2 1/2:

• She wants to get dressed the instant she wakes up.  And then she wants to change her clothes about 8 times a day. And she's super picky about what she wears now.  She claims that most clothes "hurt me."  Fun times!

• She is obsessed with her baby dolls, and Rohan and Jaya are still her faves.  We spend a lot of time changing their diapers and clothes. She's not only picky about what she wears herself, she's becoming quite picky about what her dolls wear!  Right now, she demands a shirt and shorts (which, is actually the same that she demands for herself.)  Unfortunately, our stock of baby doll shorts is pretty limited!

• She loves to pretend she's sleeping.  Anywhere the urge hits her!  

• She loves to play ball.

• She's not at all interested in using the potty.

• She loves "eatmeal" (aka oatmeal) 

• She has to have her bed just so when she goes to sleep.  We have to fluff her pillow pet, and situate her dolls in just the right spot.  And don't even think about trying to cover her with a blanket!

• She loves chocolate!

• She'll walk into the room, put her arms around you and say "I love you too."

• She'll point to her eyes and say "I have blue and white.  You have blue and white?"

• Whenever she is happy with something (a particular food, book, etc.) she'll excitedly say "You buy this??" followed by "Thank you buy this!!"

• She loves music, dancing, coloring and painting.  And she LOVES books. We frequently find her alone in her room tearing every book off the shelf and looking through them for long periods of time!

She's making huge strides in both speech and physical therapy.  The picture above was taken a few months ago -- see her drool-covered shirt?  This almost never happens now!  She still drools some, but she is so much more aware of it, and knows that she needs to wipe her chin or try to keep her mouth in a closed position.  Yay Alyse!  She still wears a brace on her right foot, and is about to get a custom-made one (read: $$$$).  We have high hopes that this continues to help her make improvements!

She's the earliest riser at our house, so we sometimes go down in the basement to play before anyone else gets up.  She totally looks out for me by saying "Let's go downstores.  Get your coffee, Mommy."  (That's how she says "downstairs".  So stinkin' cute.)

Our easiest sleeper has taken a drastic turn in that department. It started with her being scared of the music in her room, the noises outside her window, her clock, etc. She now screams bloody murder when we put her down for naps or bedtime. When we go in to try to calm her, she informs us she is scared.  Of what?  Monsters?  Noises?  Oh no.  She's scared of us.  Soo...there's a ton of parental advice out there about what to do when your kid is scared of monsters...but what do you do when Mommy and Daddy are the monsters!? 

I just love how her speech is exploding, but I do miss her baby talk. She no longer says my old favorites "Doonin?" and "Gonin?" (i.e. What are you doing? and Where are you going?) 

Her hair is finally starting to recover from that unfortunate hair cutting incident this Spring.  The one involving a certain "Salon Tessa".  It was a close call, but we decided not to fire Grandma over that one.

She and Calder are two little kindred souls.  They are so much alike and love each other to bits. She often requests that he read to her at bedtime and he always obliges.

Tessa and Alyse have a slightly more volatile relationship.  They really know how to press each other's buttons and arguments are not uncommon.  Alyse tends to give in to her big sister's demands -- probably more than she should.  But they do have their tender moments as well.  See?

We love you, Leesie!