31 Months Old

In the last couple of weeks I have seen such a change in you. It seems that since your 2 and a half year check you have been doing everything in your power to show that health visitor just how wrong she is. I am noticing changes in you all over the place and each milestone you reach just has me beaming from ear to ear.

You are using so many more words, and attempting more words all the time. You are listening intently to the conversations that are going on around you and of course sticking your two penny worth in whenever you feel like it. In the weeks since you started nursery you have decided that you want to help me in the kitchen, usually if I am preparing a fruit snack for you. I hear your little voice chirp up ‘I help yes! Help yes!’ then I hear the opening of the cutlery draw and the dragging of the chair you are pulling over to the work surface. You always look so pleased with yourself when you are perched on the chair with the butter knife you have craftily sniped from the draw.

You are using multiple words and forming simple sentences…

‘I get it’

‘I do it’

‘It was me’

‘No I didn’t’

‘Yes I did’

'I want, yes'

At bedtime when I tuck you in at night you know say ‘Love you Mumma’ 'Love you more' or ‘Love you’. You tell me ‘night night’ and ‘sweet dreams’. You know that I will say all of these things before leaving your room at night and shutting the door behind me, but before I go you always remind about the baby monitor ‘baby monitor on’.

You are even making changes to how you refer to people, you have always called Mummy and Daddy ‘Mumma’ and ‘Dadda’. Now since our trip to London a few weeks ago, you have started calling Daddy ‘Daddy!’. Mummy is still Mumma for now! You have always signified animals by what they are, such as cat and dog. Poor old Tigger was always known as ‘Caaaaaaaaat!’ which you would shout at the very top of your voice. Now though you are noticing that animals have names, and while playing with Nanny’s dog Pixie that is exactly what you were calling her. When Millie decided to get involved you said ‘NO!’ ‘Pixie!’ instead of reffering to them as ‘woof woofs!’.

You are becoming more interested in colours and naming them. So far Red, Blue and Green are the colours that you recognise the most. You are now even saying the names of the colours and can point them out (when you are in the right mood of course!).

I have been trying to teach you the differences between girls and boys. You understand that you have a ‘willy’ and that you are a boy. But all of a sudden you are adamant that you are big girl! We were out and about in the car, sat still in a traffic jam when this conversation began… I asked you if you were a boy or a girl and you said ‘Boy!’ I then went on to ask you ‘Is Mummy a boy or a girl?’ and you answered very correctly ‘Girl!’. We moved on to whether Uncle Chris was a boy or a girl… and it was here you started to de-rail slightly. You are adamant that Uncle Chris is a girl, and ever since this conversation you have told me ‘ I a big girl!’.

We will remember this over the years Mr Leo!

You are still in love with Thomas the Tank Engine… Much to my horror! You play so nicely with your push along Thomas and Percy trains and can name them both by name. You are listening to the words that each engine says and even copying what you hear. I am sure I heard you say ‘Buff my buffers’ just the other day!

I had to giggle at you the other day, when due to the persistent rain I ended up taking you to soft play twice in two days. We treated ourselves to lunch and un-be known to me the restaurant have placed a big fancy cake stand right amongst where we were sitting. Had I seen this… I never would have sat you down there. Of course you saw it straight away and exclaimed ‘found you cake!’ at the top of your lungs. Getting you to eat your dinner after this discovery was one of the hardest things I have done of late!

It may surprise you… But to get you to eat your dinner I had to tell you off a few times. It was around this point I discovered something new about you. Now when I tell you off and you know I mean business… You tell me that you ‘hurt’. You will present me with a finger or hold your head, sometimes even your ear, all the time telling me that your hurt. I quickly cottoned on to this ploy and ignored it. Funnily enough any pain you were feeling disappeared as soon as I stopped telling you no!

It just amazes me how far you have come in just over a month. You have been more affectionate to Granny which I know is pleasing her immensely, especially in comparison to how you used to be when she tried to give you a big kiss! Your words and your communication is coming on all the time. You may still not be chatting full sentences like some of the other kids your age, but you are getting there. Just like I knew you would.

What I am really pleased with is how well you have adapted to life without blanket and your milk bottle during the day. You understand that these two items are specifically for nap times and bed time, and you have simply taken it in your stride. I really did expect you to make a huge fuss about wanting these items throughout the day, but you have just switched your milk in take for juice instead. Which you are now pretty much drinking out of a big boy cup throughout the day.

31 months old and growing up so quickly. Before we know it you will be turning 3. 

Now that is a scary thought.