My heart is filled with joy being the mother of a two-year-old. From the moment Mia wakes up in the morning, hearing her little footsteps as she sneaks into our room, until I lay her down in her bed at night, she brings me unspeakable joy. Of course there are moments in between where I am tired, frustrated and overwhelmed by the demands of a two-year-old, but joy and love cover it all.
Two-year-olds are like complete entertainment centres, you can just watch them all day and enjoy whatever they come up with. And by watch, I mean keeping them under close supervision or they will find a way to draw on the walls, suck on a coin, pull the dog’s tail, unpack the DVDs, climb on a table or throw an entire roll of toilet paper into the toilet – to name but a few. Getting up to mischief is part of the makeup of a two-year-old.
My favourite part – whenever I catch Mia in the act of doing something only a two-year-old can possibly think of – is watching her face as she realises that she’s been caught. My heart just melts at that moment when she meets my eyes, knowing that she’s in trouble, but enjoying what she is doing so much that she refuses to let go. Priceless moments.
As an occupational therapist I know the ins and outs of development, but even with all my knowledge I stand amazed at what a two-year-old is capable of in terms of how accurately they understand the world they live in. Don’t be surprised when they start copying phrases and expressions you regularly use and applying it in the correct context. They are so clever when it comes to behavioural mimicking; therefore, be careful what you say and do around them.
MommaMia Tip: Write down the things they say and do, it is priceless and no matter how hard you try not to, you will forget over time. Savour the early morning moments when they sneak into your room and whisper, “Hello, Mommy.†Treasure the goodnight kisses, hugs and showers of affection. I don’t agree with the term, terrible twos; two-year-olds are the best – enjoy every moment with them.