This post is a bit delayed but Rosie is 2.5 years old! The journey from 2 to 2.5 has been wild considering that in that time we found out we are pregnant with twins! Rosie’s world has certainly been turned upside down! I love that she is such a little person these days. We have the best conversations, she tells jokes and has opinions, it’s seriously so fun. I never want to forget her singing voice, her laugh, the way she says, “Mommy, I want to hug you,” or her little dances.
We did a family maternity shoot recently and I was so happy to get some updated photos of Rosie! She loves kissing my belly and talking to the babies. I love holding her above my baby bump and the feeling of having all three of my kids with me. It’s such a special time for our family, and I am so happy that we documented it. I could literally cry thinking about the fact that Rosie isn’t my only baby anymore, but photos like these will always help me remember the last few months when it was just “us” (cue the tears!)
Here is all about Rosie at 2.5 years old!
What Rosie is Doing:
- Potty training! (shortly after 2.5)
- Singing along to her favorite songs from Frozen and Moana
- Memorizing songs
- Making up dances
- Dressing up in costumes a lot!
- Playing barbies, babies, tea party, and doctor kit
- Talking about taking care of the new babies
- Eating cream cheese puffs, pizza, spaghetti, and tuna subs (her favorites!)
- Showing interest in a “big girl bed” but isn’t quite ready to move from her crib
- Going to ECFE, dance class, and swim class
- Napping once after lunch but won’t do it every day
The “Terrible Twos”
This past six months has definitely been challenging for us in terms of parenting. She definitely hit the “terrible twos” recently (although I don’t like to call it that!) She can be a bit aggressive with other kids and also overly affectionate. We have been working a lot on consent (like asking other kids if they want a hug, etc.) Her doctor has assured me that this is totally normally (especially for these pandemic kids) because Rosie just doesn’t have a lot of exposure to other kids. I signed her up for a few more activities and have been trying to plan more outings so that she can have more practice socializing. She is also very opinionated and loves a good tantrum! I have found that setting a timer works really well for her, as well as a lot of structure and routine.
Potty Training
Rosie had been ready for potty training for a few weeks (or maybe even months!) but it was sort of difficult for me to schedule with trips, illness, and conflicts! I followed this book pretty much exactly. It’s the “three day method” and involves staying home for at least 3 days (we did 4). Because this is sort of a personal topic for Rosie, I’m not going to include much here, but I will link some things we found helpful. Overall, it was more difficult than I thought, but so nice to have her out of diapers!
Some of My Favorite Things Rosie Says:
Rosie’s vocabulary is off the charts! At her 2.5 year well visit, her doctor’s jaw was literally on the floor. She tells stories, has full conversations, asks questions, it is wild! Here are just some of my favorite things she says.
- I love you
- I want to hug you
- Are you kidding me?
- I want to do it myself
- Maybe watch a little tv?
- Daddy working in Minneapolis
- Mommy what doing?
- I need you
Fun Things We Have Done Lately:
- Lots of time with her grandparents (and some overnights!)
- Fun playdates with her friends
- Lots of outdoor time (swimming at the Regional Park, walks, etc.)
- Went to the county fair
- Hosted out of town family and friends
- Fun times on the boat and in our pool
- Horse races at Canterbury Racetrack
- Fun Fall activities like apple picking and the pumpkin patch
- Dressed up like Minnie Mouse for Halloween
- Festive Christmas activities like visiting Santa, Santa brunch, and a Christmas market
- Went to Disney on Ice
- First dance class!
- Trips to Brainerd, South Carolina, Kansas, Arizona, and California
FAVORITE PRODUCTS AT 2.5 YEARS OLD:
Toddler Gear: We still love our car seat and stroller (same as we were using at 1!) For her second birthday, Rosie got a wagon and it’s been nice to add that to our transportation line up. It was especially nice to have at the beaches this Summer. For travel, she is still very comfortable in a pack n play, so we continue to travel with that as well as the slumber pod.
Dress Up: Rosie is in a major dress-up phase and we have accumulated quite a few dresses, shoes, wings, etc. For Christmas I got her a clothing rack (here is a cute affordable option!) to put her costumes on with some sweet pearl hangers. It’s pretty darn cute in her room! Her favorite costume is Elsa from Frozen. I found her these Elsa shoes too. She wears a costume pretty much every day, but I don’t let her wear them in public (lol!)
Toys: Rosie is really into having tea parties. She has a few different sets (linked here and here). She also really likes playing with her doctor kit. I think the fact that she can put the stethoscope on my belly has increased her interest in this. Rosie also really likes playing babies. She will give her babies bottles, give them pacifiers, and put them in their crib. It’s actually been pretty good practice for the two babies that will be joining us! Rosie also really likes Barbies recently and all of their gear. She got a few different ones for Christmas. I found this babysitter Barbie that had two babies with it and she really likes that!