Sweet Eloise Jane, today you are 20 months old!
Words I would currently use to describe you include: independent, determined, affectionate, loud, mischievous, smart, insistent, sensitive, funny, stubborn, sweet, observant, & communicative. You want to do most things BY SELF, and definitely have a very clear mind of your own.
In just the past couple of days you've started adjusting your own glasses when needed, and have also started sticking out your tongue to the left when focused and concentrating on a task.
With your determination and willful nature, I have to be super creative when needing your cooperation (to go to bed, get into your car seat, get out the door, etc). If you don't want to do something, you use the whole of your voice and body to express it, yelling & crying while thrashing your head back and making your body go slack. You are such a big kid and SO strong that I have to be careful physically for both you AND me when you get to that state!
One trick toward getting you to cooperate that I've stumbled upon this month is counting to 3. I'll tell you what it is we're going to do: "when I count to 3 it's time for peek a boo in your bed!" or "when I count to 3 we're getting into your car seat!" and sure enough, once I hit THREE you are willing to transition and let me pick you up. It's kind of hilarious how simple it is, and I have no idea why it works- but for now I'm running with it!
Here are your official 20 month updates!
How old? 20 months today!
How big? I've found that 3T pants fit you best in the waist and thighs. They are a little long on you, but nothing a roll or two can't fix! People continue to think you are older than you are, due to your height. You are as tall as most 2- 2.5 year olds we meet!
Food? You love tart things like lemons and limes. You also LOVE eating ice and snail shells.
Yes, still with the snail shells.
You like to put EVERYTHING in your mouth- food or otherwise- and are good about not swallowing the non-food items (except for those snail shells, which you actually crunch down and swallow!)
This past month on several occasions you've refused to sit in a high chair and been very insistent on sitting like a big girl on a chair, bench, or stool.
You helped Iyla and I "make" cookies for the first time this week, which equated to my giving you an empty bowl to practice stirring with:
Potty? You're still doing great at telling whomever is caring for you when you have to go #2 and doing those on the potty. For pee you'll just as likely go in your diaper as on the potty depending on timing- and I have no immediate plans to "train" you, other than sitting you on the potty at your regular times!
You love you pull-ups and when we got a pack with new designs, you insisted on putting on EVERY SINGLE PAIR until I couldn't fit any more on you!
Words? You are increasingly talking in 3-4 word mini sentences, like "Iyla go bye-bye," "Mama come back," "snuggle 'lil bit," etc.
You also love to recount experiences, which is super cute. For example, you saw a helicopter in the sky the other day and recounted it like this to Papa:
"Copter! Up. Loud. Bye-bye. Back" Which equated to: "I saw a helicopter up in the sky! It was loud and then went away. I want it to come back."
You are also very clear on your YES and NO responses. If we ask you if you want to do something, you'll give us a clear answer- and your YESes are the cutest things in the world.
Vision? Overall you are doing really well with your daily eye patching. We do it first thing in the morning, and usually it's only with the promise of a video that you'll allow me to put it on. After it's on, I have to keep you in sight and occupied at all times or you'll covertly go somewhere to peel off both the patch and the glasses. You almost ALWAYS use the car as an opportunity to peel everything off!
Once you pull your patch off, you like to put it over your OTHER eye and see how that feels and looks:
You also like to perch your glasses on top of your head:
Sleep? We just got back from 10 days in Wimberley, and it was definitely an adjustment for you to suddenly be in a new room sleeping in your Pack-n-Play (which is getting quite small for you!). There were many naps/nights where you insisted on "snuggle 'lil bit!" over and over and over again, crying when eventually put in your bed. I finally found a trick that calmed you: I'd ask you if you wanted various stuffed animals to come play "peek a boo" with you- and you'd tell me clearly which one was acceptable ("do you want panda to play peek a boo?" NO. "Kangaroo?" NO. "Penguin?" pause.... YES!") When I'd hit the right one, you'd calm and willingly go into your bed while I'd fetch the chosen stuffy, who would then PEEK at you from the doorway and join you in bed as I hightailed it outta there.
Once we got back home another interesting development occurred: you wanted to sit in your bedroom chair BY SELF to have your milk (vs the usual snuggling on my lap). This equates to my helping you up on the chair and asking if I can come sit next to you. Usually you say YES, but on a few occasions you'll deny my even sitting next to you by batting me away and exclaiming BY SELF!
You also assert your independence by insisting on holding your OWN hand. This occurs when out walking, or when you are wanting to try something a bit daring- like jumping off a rock.
Another funny thing you like to do is to "hide" from me when you're doing something naughty or when wanting to try something BY SELF. This looks like you grabbing an illicit item and immediately turning your back to me while putting it in your mouth (all the while right there in front of me!). When outside, you will go run behind the wheel barrow- usually while crunching on snail shells.Very sneaky.
This month also marks your willingness to let me put pony tails in your hair! I've found hairbands you can't pull out, and if I get a YES when I ask if you want ponytails, you'll willingly and patiently sit while I put them in. So cute!
You are LOVING your music and swimming classes, and I am thinking about adding gymnastics to the mix as well- given your love for jumping and exploration!
We got to see our beloved (now retired) Mr. Walter music teacher at a special performance this past month, and both you and Iyla were in heaven:
Speaking of Iyla, I just love how much you two genuinely adore one another. You are playing more and more interactively, and it just melts my heart. Some of your favorite games together are peek-a-boo in our closet- where one of you hides behind the racks of clothes and jumps out at the other, and playing "flip the chair" in the playroom, where you crawl under your little chair and make forts together. You both also love bath time, where Iyla will decorate you in bubbles.
In just the past couple of days you've started adjusting your own glasses when needed, and have also started sticking out your tongue to the left when focused and concentrating on a task.
With your determination and willful nature, I have to be super creative when needing your cooperation (to go to bed, get into your car seat, get out the door, etc). If you don't want to do something, you use the whole of your voice and body to express it, yelling & crying while thrashing your head back and making your body go slack. You are such a big kid and SO strong that I have to be careful physically for both you AND me when you get to that state!
One trick toward getting you to cooperate that I've stumbled upon this month is counting to 3. I'll tell you what it is we're going to do: "when I count to 3 it's time for peek a boo in your bed!" or "when I count to 3 we're getting into your car seat!" and sure enough, once I hit THREE you are willing to transition and let me pick you up. It's kind of hilarious how simple it is, and I have no idea why it works- but for now I'm running with it!
Here are your official 20 month updates!
How old? 20 months today!
How big? I've found that 3T pants fit you best in the waist and thighs. They are a little long on you, but nothing a roll or two can't fix! People continue to think you are older than you are, due to your height. You are as tall as most 2- 2.5 year olds we meet!
Food? You love tart things like lemons and limes. You also LOVE eating ice and snail shells.
Yes, still with the snail shells.
You like to put EVERYTHING in your mouth- food or otherwise- and are good about not swallowing the non-food items (except for those snail shells, which you actually crunch down and swallow!)
Eating ice
This past month on several occasions you've refused to sit in a high chair and been very insistent on sitting like a big girl on a chair, bench, or stool.
You helped Iyla and I "make" cookies for the first time this week, which equated to my giving you an empty bowl to practice stirring with:
Potty? You're still doing great at telling whomever is caring for you when you have to go #2 and doing those on the potty. For pee you'll just as likely go in your diaper as on the potty depending on timing- and I have no immediate plans to "train" you, other than sitting you on the potty at your regular times!
You love you pull-ups and when we got a pack with new designs, you insisted on putting on EVERY SINGLE PAIR until I couldn't fit any more on you!
Words? You are increasingly talking in 3-4 word mini sentences, like "Iyla go bye-bye," "Mama come back," "snuggle 'lil bit," etc.
You also love to recount experiences, which is super cute. For example, you saw a helicopter in the sky the other day and recounted it like this to Papa:
"Copter! Up. Loud. Bye-bye. Back" Which equated to: "I saw a helicopter up in the sky! It was loud and then went away. I want it to come back."
You are also very clear on your YES and NO responses. If we ask you if you want to do something, you'll give us a clear answer- and your YESes are the cutest things in the world.
Vision? Overall you are doing really well with your daily eye patching. We do it first thing in the morning, and usually it's only with the promise of a video that you'll allow me to put it on. After it's on, I have to keep you in sight and occupied at all times or you'll covertly go somewhere to peel off both the patch and the glasses. You almost ALWAYS use the car as an opportunity to peel everything off!
Once you pull your patch off, you like to put it over your OTHER eye and see how that feels and looks:
You also like to perch your glasses on top of your head:
Sleep? We just got back from 10 days in Wimberley, and it was definitely an adjustment for you to suddenly be in a new room sleeping in your Pack-n-Play (which is getting quite small for you!). There were many naps/nights where you insisted on "snuggle 'lil bit!" over and over and over again, crying when eventually put in your bed. I finally found a trick that calmed you: I'd ask you if you wanted various stuffed animals to come play "peek a boo" with you- and you'd tell me clearly which one was acceptable ("do you want panda to play peek a boo?" NO. "Kangaroo?" NO. "Penguin?" pause.... YES!") When I'd hit the right one, you'd calm and willingly go into your bed while I'd fetch the chosen stuffy, who would then PEEK at you from the doorway and join you in bed as I hightailed it outta there.
Once we got back home another interesting development occurred: you wanted to sit in your bedroom chair BY SELF to have your milk (vs the usual snuggling on my lap). This equates to my helping you up on the chair and asking if I can come sit next to you. Usually you say YES, but on a few occasions you'll deny my even sitting next to you by batting me away and exclaiming BY SELF!
You also assert your independence by insisting on holding your OWN hand. This occurs when out walking, or when you are wanting to try something a bit daring- like jumping off a rock.
Holding your own hand while out for a walk
Another funny thing you like to do is to "hide" from me when you're doing something naughty or when wanting to try something BY SELF. This looks like you grabbing an illicit item and immediately turning your back to me while putting it in your mouth (all the while right there in front of me!). When outside, you will go run behind the wheel barrow- usually while crunching on snail shells.Very sneaky.
Yes, my Eloise- I SEE YOU!
This month also marks your willingness to let me put pony tails in your hair! I've found hairbands you can't pull out, and if I get a YES when I ask if you want ponytails, you'll willingly and patiently sit while I put them in. So cute!
You are LOVING your music and swimming classes, and I am thinking about adding gymnastics to the mix as well- given your love for jumping and exploration!
We got to see our beloved (now retired) Mr. Walter music teacher at a special performance this past month, and both you and Iyla were in heaven:
Iyla cracks me up in this one!
Speaking of Iyla, I just love how much you two genuinely adore one another. You are playing more and more interactively, and it just melts my heart. Some of your favorite games together are peek-a-boo in our closet- where one of you hides behind the racks of clothes and jumps out at the other, and playing "flip the chair" in the playroom, where you crawl under your little chair and make forts together. You both also love bath time, where Iyla will decorate you in bubbles.
We love you so much sweet Eloise Jane! Happy 20 months to you.
