Two and a Half Years!

Archer and Lyla are two and a half years old!  Two and a half!!  You hear about the "terrible twos," but honestly, this is such a fun age.  They are settling into their own personalities and can communicate with me.  Yet my kisses still fix their boo boos and they still need me to snuggle with them throughout the day.

They are certainly little sponges and soak up every little bit of information that's thrown their way.  If I was ever curious about what things I repeatedly say, Lyla and Archer have definitely enlightened me.  They've started asking more questions and I can just see their brains constantly turning.

Perhaps the thing I enjoy most at this point in their development is watching them interact with each other.  Sure they have their differences, but they truly love to spend time with each other.  I adore the way they grin at each other when they first see each other in the morning.  They love to pretend to put each other to bed in Archer's toddler bed.  They'll repeat the same phrases Adam and I tell them, give each other a hug and kiss, and then close the door.  They'll take turns doing this for a good half hour before they move onto their next adventure.  They got scooters for Christmas and I let them ride around the house on them.  They pretend they are their cars and will announce they are going to Aldi or "TG Max" (TJ Maxx) and then ride around.  It's pretty adorable. 

They both love going to stores even though I never buy them anything.  Any time we get back in the car after leaving a store, they'll say they want to go to another store.  They enjoy going grocery shopping at HyVee because they get a cookie at the bakery.  We are regulars at the many pet stores around town, too.  It's pretty nice that I don't have to come up with much to entertain them. 

Going to storytime is still a favorite activity.  They enjoy selecting their own books to check out and returning them to the book drop slot.  Both Lyla and Archer adore looking at books on their own and reading them with Adam and I.  Just the other night I was reading a favorite book of Archer's (How to Babysit a Grandpa), and he started reciting the words on the pages to me word for word.  He read the whole book to me!  I realize he's just reciting the words from memory, but that's one of the first steps of reading on his own.  I might have had a few tears in my eyes while he did this. 

Archer has a newfound love of jumping.  He jumps from the couch and fireplace to the floor.  He jumps from the two little steps in our hallway.  He jumps off the coffee table in the family room.  You get the point.  He's got quite the arm on him and can throw very well.  He's just starting to get the hang of catching, but still has a ways to go before he masters that skill.  Archer loves trains.  He likes to put his wooden track together and pull his train along it.  He recently got a Thomas train engine that moves on its own and you can usually find that in his hand.  When he is upset he'll get his "night nights" (the blankets he sleeps with) and come up to me and holler at me, "SNUGGLE ME!!!"  It's equal parts sweet and hysterical and Adam and I have to try not to laugh sometimes. 

Lyla has turned into a little momma.  She continues to be very fond of her baby dolls and likes to feed them their bottles and wrap them up in blankets.  I love when I catch her offering up a bite of her snack or a sip of her water to them.  I tell her all the time how she's a good mommy and she loves to repeat this fact.  Lyla wants to do everything herself these days.  She asks to wash her hands and brush her teeth all.day.long.  I try to give her every opportunity to do things independently.  She enjoys putting her plate by the sink and putting her dirty clothes in the hamper.  Lyla also has a bit of a temper and will get very upset if I do something instead of allowing her to do it on her own.  She knows how to be very dramatic.  Again, Adam and I have to try not to laugh in these moments of her despair.   

They both have been giving Jazzy more attention lately.  They like to fight over who gets to put a scoop of dog food in her bowl.  They also like to give her treats throughout the day.  I tell them to give her only one, but when I follow up they're usually feeding her a handful.  Jazzy can be a bit grouchy with them if they get too wild around her.  But they seem to all have an understanding with each other.  The kids know to nicely pet her and Jazzy knows to allow it since they give her so many treats. 

Archer and Lyla love to be outside more than anything!  This winter has been rough.  Though many times we have just bundled up and played outside even though it's cold.  They are definitely happier on the days we get to go outside. 

I still can't get over how lucky I am to be their Mommy (or Mom as Archer has started calling me.)  I love watching them acquire new skills and seeing experiences through their eyes.  They are my beautiful, crazy, rambunctious, adorably sweet babies!  (I mean toddlers.)