Isabella turns 25 months old today. I still can't quite wrap my mind around the fact that I have a two-year-old.
The world's tiniest dictator has been spicing up her vocabulary with a lot of adjectives lately: "This is delicious," "That was wonderful," "Change my stinky diaper," etc.
She's also started saying "beautiful" a lot, as in "I need my beautiful, beautiful binky" (which, trust me, is far from beautiful) and "Where's my beautiful Charlie?" (her lovey).
Isabella has turned into quite the little performer as of late, repeatedly asking both the hubs and I, as well as guests in our house, "Like to watch me brush my teeth/play with my toolset/solve for x in a linear equation?" She likes an audience, this one.
And then there's her "eureka moments" (as I call them) when she stops whatever she's doing and says excitedly, "I know!!!" followed by whatever idea has struck her at that moment.
She's also developed some pretty strong personal space issues. If she's in a mood and we're trying to comfort her, she'll tell us, "Don't touch my arm!" or "Don't do that!" And look out if I happen to pick out the wrong shirt or pair of pants to dress her in. "I don't like that!" followed by full-blown temper tantrums... over clothing. Sigh.
Headstrong, thy name is Isabella.
She's become very possessive of me lately, and I'm not sure if it's because she senses that big changes are coming, or if it's a "two thing." She will often tell even her favorite aunt and my grandma, and even the hubs, "Mommy's supposed to do that!" in reference to just about everything: changing her diapers, getting her a snack, helping her climb the stairs, etc. And if one of my relatives happens to kiss me in front of her, she'll say, "That's MY mommy!"
It's very frustrating and hard to witness, especially if she's complaining about a physical activity that given my condition I really can't (or shouldn't) do. I really feel as if on some level, she knows, and that makes me really, really sad.
This month's major development is that I tried potty training her...for approximately half a day...after which I quit in despair and complete and total exhaustion. Isabella has long been clued in to her, shall we say, bodily functions. She's been telling me about certain diaper contents since she was 15 months old. We've had a potty in the house for about six months, and she has loved to sit on it clothed. I didn't expect potty training to be a breeze, but I didn't expect what happened when we tried it either.
Her pediatrician said to basically take off her diaper and either let her run around naked on the bottom or put underwear on her. Ask her repeatedly if she needs to use the potty, and take her to it and ask her to sit on it often. If something comes out, praise, stickers, tickets to the ballet, etc. If nothing comes out, keep trying. Accidents happen, etc.
So, one morning when I was feeling particularly daring, I whipped out the "big girl" Elmo and Abby underpants, put them on her, and we started our day. It seems she's not all that uncomfortable with doing her business wherever and whenever and then acting as if nothing happened. The first time, she just squatted and peed on the carpet while playing with a toy. She barely noticed.
The second time, she peed while playing on the porch, and again, couldn't care less about it running down her leg. Her last and final accident was more labor-intensive to clean up, if you catch my meaning.
After each and every one of these accidents, I immediately brought her to the potty and asked her if she wanted to sit on it. It was as if I was asking her to sit on a seat covered with nails. She absolutely refused to sit on the potty for the purpose of actually using it, and threw explosive tantrums every time I even suggested it. After three of these episodes in just under four hours, I had had enough, and I quit. Just before her nap I put her in a diaper and we haven't gone back since.
Of course, all I do at least 100 times a day is talk to her about going to the potty. We read Once Upon a Potty and A Potty for Me constantly, and she loves the books. We even borrowed the Once Upon a Potty DVD from the library, and she just adores watching Prudence use the potty. She talks about the potty all the time too. But since that fateful day, she doesn't want to sit on it anymore, clothed or not.
After talking with some "been there, done that" friends, I've concluded she's just not ready. I don't want to create a negative atmosphere around the potty, so for right now, I'm not pushing it. But selfishly, I really, really wanted her potty trained before the twins arrive. It seems that's not going to happen. Three kids in diapers. I know. You're jealous.
Current Likes: chewable vitamins, Clifford, beeping car horns
Current Dislikes: Sharing me with the rest of the free world
The world's tiniest dictator has been spicing up her vocabulary with a lot of adjectives lately: "This is delicious," "That was wonderful," "Change my stinky diaper," etc.
She's also started saying "beautiful" a lot, as in "I need my beautiful, beautiful binky" (which, trust me, is far from beautiful) and "Where's my beautiful Charlie?" (her lovey).
Isabella has turned into quite the little performer as of late, repeatedly asking both the hubs and I, as well as guests in our house, "Like to watch me brush my teeth/play with my toolset/solve for x in a linear equation?" She likes an audience, this one.
And then there's her "eureka moments" (as I call them) when she stops whatever she's doing and says excitedly, "I know!!!" followed by whatever idea has struck her at that moment.
She's also developed some pretty strong personal space issues. If she's in a mood and we're trying to comfort her, she'll tell us, "Don't touch my arm!" or "Don't do that!" And look out if I happen to pick out the wrong shirt or pair of pants to dress her in. "I don't like that!" followed by full-blown temper tantrums... over clothing. Sigh.
Headstrong, thy name is Isabella.
She's become very possessive of me lately, and I'm not sure if it's because she senses that big changes are coming, or if it's a "two thing." She will often tell even her favorite aunt and my grandma, and even the hubs, "Mommy's supposed to do that!" in reference to just about everything: changing her diapers, getting her a snack, helping her climb the stairs, etc. And if one of my relatives happens to kiss me in front of her, she'll say, "That's MY mommy!"
It's very frustrating and hard to witness, especially if she's complaining about a physical activity that given my condition I really can't (or shouldn't) do. I really feel as if on some level, she knows, and that makes me really, really sad.
This month's major development is that I tried potty training her...for approximately half a day...after which I quit in despair and complete and total exhaustion. Isabella has long been clued in to her, shall we say, bodily functions. She's been telling me about certain diaper contents since she was 15 months old. We've had a potty in the house for about six months, and she has loved to sit on it clothed. I didn't expect potty training to be a breeze, but I didn't expect what happened when we tried it either.
Her pediatrician said to basically take off her diaper and either let her run around naked on the bottom or put underwear on her. Ask her repeatedly if she needs to use the potty, and take her to it and ask her to sit on it often. If something comes out, praise, stickers, tickets to the ballet, etc. If nothing comes out, keep trying. Accidents happen, etc.
So, one morning when I was feeling particularly daring, I whipped out the "big girl" Elmo and Abby underpants, put them on her, and we started our day. It seems she's not all that uncomfortable with doing her business wherever and whenever and then acting as if nothing happened. The first time, she just squatted and peed on the carpet while playing with a toy. She barely noticed.
The second time, she peed while playing on the porch, and again, couldn't care less about it running down her leg. Her last and final accident was more labor-intensive to clean up, if you catch my meaning.
After each and every one of these accidents, I immediately brought her to the potty and asked her if she wanted to sit on it. It was as if I was asking her to sit on a seat covered with nails. She absolutely refused to sit on the potty for the purpose of actually using it, and threw explosive tantrums every time I even suggested it. After three of these episodes in just under four hours, I had had enough, and I quit. Just before her nap I put her in a diaper and we haven't gone back since.
Of course, all I do at least 100 times a day is talk to her about going to the potty. We read Once Upon a Potty and A Potty for Me constantly, and she loves the books. We even borrowed the Once Upon a Potty DVD from the library, and she just adores watching Prudence use the potty. She talks about the potty all the time too. But since that fateful day, she doesn't want to sit on it anymore, clothed or not.
After talking with some "been there, done that" friends, I've concluded she's just not ready. I don't want to create a negative atmosphere around the potty, so for right now, I'm not pushing it. But selfishly, I really, really wanted her potty trained before the twins arrive. It seems that's not going to happen. Three kids in diapers. I know. You're jealous.
Current Likes: chewable vitamins, Clifford, beeping car horns
Current Dislikes: Sharing me with the rest of the free world
She really might know about the twins. We told Sam for months about the baby and thought she did not get it, but when she came to the hospital, she kept pointing to my belly and clearly understood that the baby had come from there. It was crazy.
Try showing Isabella this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqLMcyUFrSA
Oh how typical she sounds!!! You're in for a fun ride. ;-)
I don't blame you! All you need right now is to be potty training!! NO THANKS. Wait till the babies are at least here for a while before considering it. It can go really easily for some kids but for most, it's a power struggle for at least a while.
P and Isabella seem to be cut from the same cloth. My kid is stubborn, there's no denying it. Oh, the fun times which result!
As for potty training, P has gone in the potty four times in two months. That's all we've got. Most attempts to get her on the potty are met with, "No potty! No big girl knickers! Want nappy! Put nappy on!" And yes, this is the diatribe each.and.every.time.
I'm with the others, forget this potty training thing for now. They say not to push toddlers on this issue, I'm going along with that perspective!
That picture of Isabella is hilarious. You can just feel the attitude.
I must say, she does sound completely normal! I think the possessiveness of you would be happening with or without the babies. I know it makes you feel guilty, but she really will be fine. You'll remember what it was like with just the two of you, she won't. I completely understand the appeal of wanting her potty trained, but trust me, you do not want to be the one trained, and you do not want accidents. So not worth it. Diapers are a million times easier.
I have some friends with 2-year-olds and they all are very clingy and possessive of their mommys, with or without other siblings. I just assumed it was an age thing. That's funny about the adjectives. I've seen a couple of episodes of Lola and Charlie and I love how the little girl uses adjectives and adverbs for positively absolutely everything.
Hee hee, does she really say, "Change my stinky diaper?"! I continue to be impressed with her verbal skills. Fly says "stinky" when I'm changing him -- I wonder where he got that from...?
Your potty training attempts are admirable. At least you know now Isabella isn't ready.