two.Two. TWO!!!!

That is the number that has been rolling around my head lately. First off, because my little big baby is two and he is slowly starting to act like it. Secondly, because last night I was talking to Matt about us celebrating our 5 year anniversary this year with a little weekend trip to Florida or something we would both enjoy, but I said we would have to take the kids with us. The KIDS. We are about to have two sweet little boys. I just cannot believe it and yet cannot wait!

Back to my two year old starting to act like it. I know I had mentioned that his favorite phrase is "I do it"; well he is starting to get smart about it. When I ask him to clean up, he miraculously drops that independence and says, "No, Mommy do it." Hmm.. learning the art of manipulation very early! He has also been testing the limits in a big way. If I say no to something he has started to do it just to see what I will do. I have a feeling that is just going to get worse before it gets better unless I stay consistent with punishment. Which is not the easiest thing to do if you are not at home!

He has also started becoming soooo dramatic. He still doesn't really throw any tantrums, but will make this horrible face and hit the table or whatever else is near him during the moment that things aren't going his way. His favorite, though, is to whine and hang on me and say, "Mommy, hold you. HOLD YOU". And sometimes I hold him. Because it won't be long that instead of coming to me he will be stomping to his room and slamming the door. And sometimes when I do hold him, he usually continues to ask me to hold him. Dude, I can't hold you anymore than I already am! Those are the days that I swear the child would crawl back in my belly if I would let him! With all that said, it is definitely worse when he is tired or hungry. If you make sure he is fed and has had sufficient sleep, he is generally the easiest child in the world. Can't say I blame him ;)

One of the things I have LOVED about this transition into two year world is the conversations we have. Just this morning while we were taking a walk, we were talking about how well he is jumping now. I told him that one day he would get to teach Cade how to jump and play cars and all the other fun things he likes to do. He got excited and started listing off all the other things he wanted to show him. He said Tow Mater, Lighting McQueen, big trucks, and tickles. This boy loves the tickle bug!

Bedtime has been a little rough lately. Which scares me, I am not going to lie! He does not want me to leave the room. We have actually been going into Cade's room to rock and then he'll eventually sit up and tell me he is ready to go to bed. He has asked me to lay in his bed with him. He wants milk. He wants water. He wants to "hold you". He wants me to sing another song. I have found that the later it is, the worse it is (overtired, I assume). And, honestly, when it is like that there really isn't anything I can do to help him go to sleep. He is avoiding it and I am only making it worse. So, the last couple of nights I have had to let him cry. THAT has been awful. Much, MUCH worse than letting him cry it out as a baby. Crying is one thing, but hearing them say your name and that they just want to hold you and sing song? Gut wrenching! Thankfully, there are the nights that he lays right down. I tell him I love him the whole wide world and then some, he tells me "wuv you, too, Mommy" and smiles at me. Which I then melt my way out of the room and live in mommy bliss the rest of the night! HA! Those are definitely one of my top 5 moments of being a mom!

So, although I am only a month into being a mom of a two year old and can already see some pretty serious changes, I know that it is only going to get worse, but also better. I know there will be some bigger fits thrown. Some higher pitched whining. But I also know there will be bigger hugs, more kisses and more special conversations that will make me more proud than I already am to be his momma. I just pray that I let those moments outshine the hard ones, and that he extends that grace to me as well!