2-Year Rundown

Well, 12+ days after our appointment, here's Anna's 2-year stats....

Weight: 30 pounds even.  (She did have her clothes on so she may be a tad under)
Height: 34 inches

In both 50-75% for both categories, looking good!

The entire visit was a disaster, however.  I have been threatening to "quit" our doctor for more than 6 months now and I'm not sure why I haven't. For the 2nd time in a row, we made the first appointment of the day at 9am and for the 2nd time in a row, the doctor doesn't even ARRIVE in the building till 9:45.  She comes in shortly after, doesn't apologize for keeping a scared 2-year-old waiting forever and basically fumbles through the appointment while Anna SCREAMED bloody murder the entire time.  No shots, no nothing- just screaming, wiggling, writhing, misery.

So after this appearance, where she barely said 3 words to me, didn't try to comfort Anna at all, acted like she was afraid of the kid.... I have made the final decision.. We are DONE there.  I got another recommendation for a pediatrician and plan to go make an appointment to meet the doctor. Also, the awful doctor was so far from the new house, there were literally zero redeeming qualities.  I need Anna to have a caring doctor BEFORE any bad winter colds or sicknesses may hit.  I'm so mad I was so lame and never made good on all my idle threats.  I know she is fine, but I feel like a doctor should be a place where you get some guidance and help and feel like your doctor actually likes children and isn't afraid of them.  UGH. Okay, enough complaining.  (Now that it's out there for all to see, I can't turn back and be lazy anymore)

Now, onto the fun stuff...

We took off on Anna's actual birthday to give her a special day and hopefully we'll be able to continue the tradition as she gets older. Her day is very special to us and we wanted to do some things we thought she'd like! We started the morning with a balloon extravaganza outside her door when she woke up, which was a huge hit. We came downstairs to her one big present from us, a tricycle (with cool handle for us to push/steer her with).  She loved it and we went for many rides around the house before we got ready to go out to breakfast.  We took her to the Turning Point restaurant, which is a nice step-up from a diner.  She had fun coloring and looking around at a baby eating next to us.... so much so that she barely touched her fun and delicious pancake platter.  Figures!

The balloons when she woke up

test riding her new wheels

The super cute George birthday shirt we got her

Had her name and age on the front and everything!

Having 1 fancy pancake ;)

We came home to play a bit more and then she had a nap.  When she woke up we headed down to Point Pleasant to the aquarium and she had a blast! She was definitely unsure when we began and didn't know what to make of these big fish and sharks in the tanks and didn't want Doug to let her go, but she warmed up and ran around exploring.  We saw seals and sharks, turtles, all kinds of fish, penguins (and watched them have an early dinner), snakes, octopus, birds and more.  But, just as any 2-yr-old will do, only a short amount of time kept her attention and then she was ready to run off and be done with the aquarium.  We took our cue and headed out and next door to the sweet shop. We picked some treats and walked on the windy and deserted boardwalk for a bit.  Anna really loved her chocolate covered graham cracker and such an unexpected mid-day treat :)

We headed home and Gram and Pop came over with PIZZA for a mini birthday celebration.  Per usual, thinking Anna would love the pizza, she barely ate and just wanted to run around and play.  I'll never figure her out.

She had such a fun day and ended playing with all her balloons, screaming and squealing and running back and forth through the living room. It was hilarious and a perfect ending to a really great day spent together.

BALLOONS ARE AMAZING OMG LOOK AT THESE!!!

That Sunday we had her "birthday party", which was really just for immediate family - Gram and Pop, Grandma and Baba, Uncle Brian and Aunt Kelly.  Auntie Christina was in Seattle and couldn't make it and we missed her greatly!  This year I really wanted to keep it small, as she is only 2 and until she is demanding a theme party with all her little friends, I thought this was the right way to go.  She had a great time. I had to wake her up as she slept soundly over a half hour into her party, and even though I hate doing that - it was snowing "to beat the band" (right Doug), and I knew Brian and Kelly had a long trip home in that weather so I didn't want her to miss her whole party!

balloon party

Aunt Kelly and Uncle Brian with the birthday girl

going to town on some cake!

present time is the best time

wasting no time getting into her new easel

We had snacks, drinks and played with new toys and balloons.  Anna even got dressed and went outside to play in the snow and had a great time on the sled with Daddy.

Overall, I'd say 2nd birthday extravaganza week went off without a hitch!!
Bring it on year 3!

Year Two

To Anna on your second birthday,

I would be remiss if I didn't try to capture all the wonderful, exciting, scary, fun and sometimes trying moments of your second year of life. It has been a wild ride, for sure, and one that I am so happy to be on with you! Over the last year you have really grown up (obviously) and have become more and more fun every day.  I really started to feel like "hey I've got this" (the mantra really is 'fake it till you make it' for a reason) and I think you started figuring out that you could talk to us and get what you want without throwing enormous fits.  All in all, we've all been learning like crazy this year!

One small, tiny year ago...

I'm such a good mom to take you to grocery store on your first birthday, no?

In your second year of life:

You really started eating and loving "solid foods". You consistently have loved avocado, blueberries, cheese, and cookies (duh).  You ate things like cold pizza with spinach, chicken cutlet sandwich, tortellini with butter, hummus and pita chips, pickles (seriously kid...), frozen peas, scrambled eggs with spinach and cheese, fruits of all kinds.  You still will not touch mac and cheese or pasta with red sauce. You love bread. You love sharing your food. You love sweets of all kinds and this year you tried ice cream for the first time, love at first sight (bite). You have really gotten good at using a fork and spoon with minimal mess.  You sit in your highchair but also really love sitting at the table with mommy and daddy.

You can walk, run, jump, climb, squat, gallop and fall (and get back up) like a pro. 

It took you a while to walk in hard soled shoes, you literally would stand still in the shoe and throw an enormous fit. Miss Sandy put your shoes on and let you freak out and just like that, you got over it and never looked back.

You took a trip with us to the Poconos to ring in the new year with some friends.  You were getting teeth and didn't sleep. It wasn't the most fun trip I've ever had. 

You spent your first full weekend away from Mommy while I went to visit Aunt Lisa in Virginia. You did great and I'm sure you missed me but you were on best behavior while I was gone.

You started talking in earnest, pointing out things in your every day life like "cheese" and "Brooks" (your boyfriend/enemy at daycare), and became proficient in animal sounds.

You became utterly obsessed with Toy Story.  We watched 1, 2, and 3 on repeat for months. 

You got your first stomach virus and threw up for a few hours one night (it always happens at night, doesn't it?!)  It was terrifying and disgusting and we were both covered in puke but we survived. Also not fun.

You started taking a consistent 2+ hour nap every day which was a God-send. 

You absolutely HATED bath time and rinsing your hair.  A scream-fest every single night.

It took you a LONG time to say Mommy.................(15 months!)

Spent two different weekends with both sets of grandparents while Mommy & Daddy went to Boston to visit friends and to a wedding in LBI.  You were a perfect angel and they loved having you!

You had all your "one year molars" by 16 months.   Those were also fun.

You took your first plane ride! We all went to Florida with Daddy for a work conference. You were pretty good on the plane (both ways) even though Mommy & Daddy were super nervous.  You went to the beach for the first time and were very wary.  Mommy got a bad sunburn and that ended up being okay cause you didn't want anything to do with the pool anyway.  Vacations with babies aren't really vacations. Don't let anyone fool you into thinking that.

Then, you suddenly started loving baths.  You never, ever cease to surprise me.

And then, we decided to turn all our worlds around and put our house on the market!  We had to put away most of your toys and clean up meticulously every day. We had to clear out when people wanted to come see the house. Thankfully, we got lucky and had an offer set in stone after about 10 days on the market, which meant no more constant interruptions and clean up.  The frantic search began to find a new house for us, and again, we thankfully found one!  The home buying and selling process is a real bummer and one that I have sworn I will never, ever do again.  We basically spent the summer packing, cleaning out and preparing to move.... all while Daddy had a HUGE presentation and conference to attend in Las Vegas.  It was certainly not the best timing, but you were such a good girl and we all survived.  It was definitely hard to say goodbye to the house we brought you home to, but we all look forward to all the multitude of new memories in the new house. After just a couple days in the new house, you settled in and got used to your new room and went back to sleeping "normally" (normal for Anna.)

Speaking of sleeping, you definitely had your ups & downs throughout the year. I swear we've "sleep trained" you more than 15 times. It is never fun to finally determine (after a night or 2 of middle of the night playtime) that we need to just let you figure it out (read: scream it out), but it always works.  Night One: screaming bloody murder for over an hour. Wake up happy.  Night Two: screaming, less intensely, about 40 mins. Wake up happy. Night Three:  whimper, wake up happy.  Why are we always so dumb?  (Don't answer that.)

You went on your first bike riding adventure with Mommy and Daddy.  We got you a cool bike seat and helmet (which you didn't even mind!) and off we went.  We rode to a nearby park and you had a blast. It was the first thing I was really excited for you to do that you actually loved just as much. A success!

You have a special need for routine, which I guess is both a blessing and a curse.  You don't like to be off your schedule or routine and so we try to stick to it.  Naptime at home requires reading of books in your quiet room. You like at least 2 pacifiers at bedtime, one in mouth and one to hold. We thankfully have broken you of any pacifiers during the day and do not look forward to the day of breaking the nighttime habit. Bedtime is bath, lotion, pjs, books (the same ones for weeks!), a hug and kiss and out for the night.  Some nights you want to cry when I leave, and will let out a whimper but I have to just leave.  Believe me, I always want to turn around and give you one last hug - but I know in the coming year you'll learn to use every stalling tactic in the book. 

You are obsessed with buckles. You've been trying to figure them out for months and anything that has a buckle MUST BE YOURS. 

One day you kind of just "got over" Toy Story and in a fit of panic one night I turned to Netflix to see if there was anything you might like.  There was a Curious George movie and I gave it a shot and you were enthralled. That was all it took. We found the series of George shows on Netflix and you are hooked.  At night we like to watch 1 episode to wind-down before bed.  You will hand me the remote and say "watch George?" and say "night night George" at the end. Daddy was just as George obsessed as you are, so it's cute to watch you both in a zone when it comes on. 

You went to your first zoo with Auntie Christina in Brooklyn to the Prospect Park Zoo. You were absolutely over the moon about it and would have run for days and days looking at everything, but unfortunately your "schedule" got in the way and we ended up with a huge meltdown.  Regardless it was so fun seeing you go crazy over all the animals. It really is one of the things that makes you most happy! Dogs, especially, are THE BEST. (I'd say: Mommy/Daddy, food, animals)

You had croup this year (terrible barking cough and unable to breathe). Had to have steroids to feel better and luckily bounced back very quickly in order to enjoy Halloween. You didn't really "get it" this year, but dutifully walked door to door grabbing candy from whoever would give you any.  (Also a fun memory: having a few M&Ms too close to bed lead to a 10pm pass-out time for you. FUN for the whole family! Oh and you walked into a neighbors house and let her dogs out while you went to look around. Weirdo!)

Then, just after you had recovered from croup, you had another injury!  You somehow twisted your elbow one night playing with Daddy and it turns out you had something called "nursemaids elbow" (which is basically a dislocated elbow). I had to take you to have it "put back in" and although it sounds terrible, you cried for 1 minute and then were totally over it.  Scary couple days when we thought you broke your arm!

You love giving hugs and kisses, you rub our faces and tell us "S'OKAY!" and then push our face down, say "sleep" and put a blanket over us.  You like to give us sweet kisses to wake us up or lay down next to us and pretend snore as well.

And just recently, really in the last week, you have began talking up a storm. You repeat almost everything you hear and are less shy about trying new words (although you still like to whisper words sometimes when you first say them).   It's amazing to see you just "get it" and put little phrases together. You understand now when we tell you the oven is hot or the wood stove is hot, and proudly announce it over and over again. This past weekend Daddy was working in the basement and you yelled down the stairs "DADDY WHERE ARE YOU?!"  It sounds so silly to be so proud of these things, but you really are growing up right before my eyes! It's amazing and wonderful.

xooxoxoxoxox

I feel like I could go on and on and on about you, and I guess I technically have.  The past year you have grown SO much I didn't want to leave anything out on this virtual baby book. You are sweet and determined, fiesty and funny, frustrated and adventurous, smart and fearless. We are constantly amazed by you and what you learn, do and say and I can only imagine that year #3 is going to blow us away!

Happy 2nd birthday to my favorite, favorite munchkin on earth!

As you can now say, "I'M TWO!!!!!!!!"

I feel like this picture accurately sums you up. Happy, cute and always on the go..

Ahh... well I couldn't let this year go by without trying one more time.  Victorious!

mac and cheese, no protest, lots of bites. I WIN! (for now.)