And Then There Was Two

This morning was Jelly's 2-year checkup. Nothing makes me reminisce about the baby-she-once-was like going someplace like that, someplace we only see every few months. For example, I was reminded of how easy it was, a year or so ago, when she couldn't yet walk. This morning she wanted to dawdle in the pouring rain, screamed about her beloved boots, was terrified by the fish tank, did not like any of the books, and was traumatized by the whole having-to-sit-and-wait-without-your-clothes-on experience. Seriously, the girl was brave as ever through a finger prick and shot, but OH. MAH. GAWD. The horror and embarrassment of sitting in a diaper! It was hilarious, she's doing this heavy sighing thing lately (no idea where she gets THAT), and she did it a few times as the doctor tried bravely to make her look in her eye-looky-thingie. JR was having none of it. Totally exasperated by the kindly doctor's efforts (and also, totally making the kindly doctor crack up). I finally got out the Baby Be-Quieter, aka the iPhone, which amazed and astounded the doctor (she begged me to leave it for her). No surprise, the Bean is still at the top of or off the charts for her weight (36.6, which is almost exactly what I predicted), height, and big ol' fat head.

Something else cute she did for the first time, and a notable milestone that they don't have in any baby books - she anticipated a request. When we take a bath together in my big tub, I get out first and dry off and get my jammies on, then get her out. I never remember to let the water out, and who doesn't abhor sticking their arm in cold, dirty tub water later on? So twice in the past week I've asked her to pull the plug. Of course, it's not actually a plug, it's one of those attached drain thingies, so I've stumbled over the wording both times. Kind of like, 'Hey, Jelly, could you please pull the grab the turn the doolahickie to let the water out of the tub if you can?', which, surprisingly, she's understood and was able to do. Last night, same thing - I got out, toweled off, turned to her and said, 'Jelly, will you uhhhhhh...'. She didn't wait for me to finish - turned and did it. Then clapped for herself. I was like, 'Yeah, thanks, good work'.

She's all into two-word declaratives now as well - it's not just 'yes', it's 'yes please!'. Which is hilarious when you're asking, 'Is that Dora's backpack?' And not as polite but just as funny is the 'no way!' At some point I'm going to put my Good Mother hat back on and beat that out of her so that she says 'no thank you', but for now it cracks me up every single time. Yeah, I'm terrible. If she says it to you, and you are terribly affronted, I apologize now and blame myself.

Today I am telling myself I do not have another sinus infection despite all signs towards the affirmative, and will be picking up some drugs for Jellybean's double ear infection. Way to take her to the pool this weekend, Good Mother. I'm sure that helped TONS. Poor snotty little thing. Of course we both have a hacking cough so neither one of us is sleeping, which means I'm doing a lot of yelling 'JUST CALM DOWN!' while refusing to take my own advice, and she's doing a lot of very dramatic weeping, and absolutely nothing is done to her liking. Clothes, books, meals, DVDs - I always pick the wrong thing. I finally hollered, 'Look lady, I'm not your waitress!' at the pool yesterday, which I'm sure horrified all the other good parents steadfastly ignoring their kids.

On the plus side, I was feeling all sorry for myself because I was just so damn tired yesterday, when I realized - hey, it's still better than it was a year ago. Because a year ago, I remember that stretch of time after dinner but before bed as being incredibly tortuous - I would quite literally lay on the floor while she played, too exhausted to read or interact or even be upright. I haven't done that in a really, really long time. So while I may zone out when she's in the tub, at least she still gets a bath every night. And she's always full dressed and brushed and fed in the morning to go to Miss D's. The days when I don't have sleep are less frequent, as teething calms down (ugh, don't get me started on two-year molars though). So while I may make strangers burst into tears when I tell them that the newborn phase is NOT the hardest part, it's definitely a different kind of hard. It's frustrating, largely because it's so unpredictable, and it's nerve-wracking, because they understand so much more. But they make connections between things that blow you away, and exert their preferences and likes/dislikes, and start to sharpen their corporate skills (Jennifer has learned that sometimes she can wait until I'm distracted to ask me to do something for the second time, and chances are I'll say 'yes').

Don't get me wrong, two is still a gawd-awful age. I am hanging on for four. But do I long for the simpler baby days? No way.