Two Years Old!

I can't believe it's been two years since I've been pacing the hospital hallways, trying to encourage my labour to start...and then they were born and I vowed to never give birth again.  Oh, how far we've come!  Matthew and Kayla have grown from helpless little babies to increasingly independent toddlers (who are still little!).

Matthew weighs 23 lb 12 oz (3rd-10th percentile), and is 33.5" tall (25th percentile).  He wears size 18-24 month clothes and size 5 shoes.  Although he is my little boy (literally!), he is full of personality.  He is laid-back and enjoys life to the fullest, but he definitely has his stubborn moments.  If he doesn't want to do something, he just doesn't do it.  If you keep asking him to do it, he'll close his eyes really tight and will pretend that you aren't there asking him.  Going to time-out doesn't usually phase him, he actually finds it funny.  Matthew isn't necessarily outgoing, but he will not get angry if someone unfamiliar to him picks him up or tries to play with him.  He is confident enough in any situation to go and wander himself, but he typically will choose to hold my hand.  Matthew still has the most contagious laugh, and loves being tickled.  Every night, without fail, I have to lay Matthew in my arms and rock him back and forth singing "Rock a Bye Baby".  Matthew is obsessed with playing with the vacuum, so he loves pointing out crumbs on the kitchen floor just so that Jon or I will cave in to his whines and will pull out the vacuum.  He also loves to make sure that I have my slippers on.  If I'm not wearing them, he'll bring them to me.  He still doesn't talk much on his own, but if asked to repeat something on his own, he will.  Matthew loves to listen to music, so he often asks (by pointing) if he can turn on the CD/DVD player (he knows exactly which two buttons to press).  He also LOVES to be outside.  It doesn't matter if it's sunny or rainy - he would much rather be outside than inside.  Matthew has learned that there is a baby in my tummy.

Kayla weighs 25 lb 11 oz (25-50th percentile), and is 34" tall (50-75th percentile).  She wears size 2 clothes and size 6 shoes.  Kayla is quiet and reserved (shy) around those she is not comfortable with, but around us she is a bundle of energy and chatterbox.  Her vocabulary is growing daily, and she has started using two word phrases, her first being "Go 'way'".  She'd tell the rain to "go 'way" or Matthew to "go 'way".  Kayla can point out and name all of her colours, can distinguish between and name the quantity of one or two items, and can point out Jon's letter "J", her letter "K", my letter "L" and Matthew's letter "M", whether it be on a keyboard or on a toy.  Kayla hates to have dirty hands, and is constantly asking for a rag while eating.  She LOVES watching Super Why, and could easily sit through two in a row.  Kayla is also a Mommy's girl.  I am her best friend, and typically the only person that can comfort her when she is extremely upset.  Kayla is great when it comes to sharing or taking turns with toys, but when it comes to having to share my lap, she doesn't do it.  If she wants my lap, then there is no way she will allow Matthew to even stand beside me.  Kayla loves to read books, colour, and play with stickers.

Both Matthew and Kayla have great memories when it comes to making sure promises are fulfilled.  -You can't just say something anymore and not follow through.  They are each other's best friends.  They can always be found with each other...they seldom will play in separate rooms.  Yes, they do argue, but considering the amount of time they spend together and how much they have to share, they are great together.

I made them go cold-turkey with taking away their sippy cups, and now they are fully on 'big-kid' cups.  The night of their birthday, I took away their last bottle, their before-bed bottle, and replaced it with milk from a cup, with a 'crazy' straw.  They loved it the first night, but the second night Kayla cried for about a minute asking for her 'bottle'.  I explained that because she was two she had to drink from a 'big-kid' cup and she settled down.  Since then, there has been no request for a bottle.

Matthew and Kayla still have one nap a day, from about 1:00 to 2:30pm....although that depends on who's house they are sleeping at.  If they are napping at my parents' house (which they do three times a week, while I'm working), they are in separate bedrooms so they sleep for the entire 1.5 hours.  If they are napping at home, then they don't fall asleep until 1:30pm at the absolute earliest, because they keep each other up.  They go to bed at 8pm, and are up between 7:30/8am.  They fall sleep better now that I keep the hall light off, so that they can't see each other.

Anyways, it's hard to remember and describe their personalities.  When I get asked who the easier child is, I have a hard time answering.  It totally depends on the day: sometimes Matthew is easier and sometimes Kayla is.  Either way, they are both amazing children.  We were definitely blessed when we welcomed them into our lives, and I would never change a thing.  Life would just not be the same without them.  As much as I hate that they are growing up, each stage is exciting.  I (we) love you, Matthew and Kayla!