I Love 2 Year Olds

So far, two is my favorite age.  Someone once said to me that they wish they could always have a two year old in their house, because they love this age so much, and I totally agree.

The amount of "hold yous, kiss, hug, hold hands" requests that we get a day is ridiculous and never has our girl been so sweet.  As you've read from my previous posts, Lemon was not the easiest baby, so this sweetness is totally welcome in our house.  I feel like for the first 10 months of her life we were butting heads about something - nursing, sleeping, eating - and then until she was a year and a half, always about sleeping.  I feel like she was always tired, always hungry but fought me every step of the way, even though I knew best (duh).

But now, everything has changed.

We snuggle more than ever, she always wants to be held or asks for us to hold her hand, she wants hugs and kisses and at night when I tuck her in, and sing a special song that I made up, she lays there and looks at me with eyes I've never seen before.  I had always hoped that one day she'd know just how much I love her, and how much we've done for her, to make her happy and keep her healthy and I think that the time is now - she just knows.  It is the best feeling in the world.

When your kid looks at you with those loving eyes, tells you she loves you and comes up and kisses you just on a whim, all on her own, it's the best feeling ever and definitely makes up for all the tough times that come with raising a baby.  It's the same way I feel about teaching - all of the craziness, the rudeness, the demands, the teenagers - it all floats away when that one student that one year says "thank you."  Nothing better.

Seeing yourself in your daughter's eyes, nothing compares.  Lemon is so kind, well-behaved, mild-mannered and is actually starting to talk to strangers too - instead of just blowing a raspberry at them.  The way she says hi to people and "how you doin?" to other kids - I love it.  She is still that happy, always singing, Lemon that we know and love but this new element of sweet is just killing us.  Of course she's not perfect (and just got put in time, twice in a night, for throwing something), but these tough times are pretty few and far between lately.  Toddlers, so far, are much easier than babies (in my opinion), communication helps a lot.  It also helps that they are SO hilariously silly.

2 years old is my favorite age so far, this little Lemon of ours just gets sweeter every day.  And, this mom thing does too.  :)