Almost 2!!

This is Molly's Mommy.

Molly is almost 2 years old! I can't believe how the time is flying by! What amazes me is how much a child changes, grows, & learns in less then 24 months.

Molly loves to be goofy. She loves to laugh, play, read, and do crafts. When ever I have a hard day at work, I come home and forget all my troubles! She really puts a smile on my face. She's such a character!

Tim notices the change too. He noticed how she's more excepting of her daddy and how much fun she has playing with him. She especially loves to play "Hide & Seek From the Monster" This is where she hides and Tim comes in with a loud groaning voice to find her. Soon he jumps in front of her with surprise and a loud growl and she screams and laughs so hard. Then she says "More Daddy!"

Molly has her behavior issues like most children do. She tests us. We are getting through those moments one at a time. She's an angel for everyone else, but with her parents, she's a little more aggressive I don't know where she learned this, but she likes to hit when shes upset or frustrated. She was biting but that is coming to an end slowly. We try to work this out by taking a time out and then talk about what she did and how it hurts us. She usually gives a kiss and hug and says "sorry". 

She's really starting to become her own little person. She's intrigued about new things, and wants to learn all the time.

I had no idea that a child at this age could pick up on so much. She is a sponge! It seems she went from crawling to running, from sign language to speaking full sentences.

Molly will repeat anything we say. We have to be careful now, because she may not repeat it right when you say it, but store it in her mind and say it later. For example, while taking a bath one day I asked her to sit down in the tub, on her bum. She said this as she was squatting down ," Sh-t, Sh-t, Sh-t" over and over. At first I thought she was saying "Sit, Sit, Sit" as if she's repeating me. Oh no! She was saying something else that became very clear to me.

What's funny is she was using it in the right context too. She didn't want to do as I asked and the water was a little too warm still, so she just wasn't happy with my request to sit down yet.

If we hear her say these silly little slang words, we tell her that a better word to use is "Shucks!" or
"Oh Man!"  It's working for the most part. Now we as parents have to learn to use better language too.

The good thing about her spongy mind is that she's learning good stuff too. She can recite her alphabet and count to 10. She's been doing well with this since at least March. I have to give some credit to her wonderful father who has been home with her now. Tim continues to follow a learning schedule with her such as her reciting the alphabet, reading flash cards, counting, watching learning videos, or art time.

Molly loves to read books! less then 6 months ago you would find Molly just curled up turning the pages of a book. Now you can hear her actually trying to tell a story in the book.

Just last night Tim and I sat with her to read a book of her choice. When we asked her which book does she want Daddy to read? She pointed to the cover and said "Dog go" which is the Dr. Seuss "Go Dog Go"
We were amazed! We maybe said the title of that book 1 time, but we never pointed it out.

We have, however, been teaching her simple spelling like "Dog, Cat, Molly" Etc. So we think that with our repeating it, she may have actually caught on to a little reading! She's a GENIUS!!!

I know every parent says this about their child. I truly believe every child has amazing moments, but I didn't know that a child who's barely 2 could recite the alphabet and numbers and also start reading!

Tim's been working with her "Your baby Can Read" flash cards. She guesses sometimes, but other times she actually gets the word "Hi, Elephant, & Dog" correct.

Yet another amazing moment, last month, Molly wrote the number 1 next to 1 girl and then 1 next to 1 boy. She actually identified the picture, said it out loud, and wrote the number 1. Tim took a picture with his cell phone because he didn't think I'd believe him. Then she did it again for me when I got home.

Molly is a gift to us and we love every minute with her. We are so proud of her and pray that she will continue to have the drive for learning.  We have long road ahead of us!

Stay tuned for Birthday plans!