My Fun Little Two Year Old

In between all of the screaming and insisting and irrational two-year-old behavior Jane still manages to be the light of our family.

Following her birthday she said a few prayers with an extra added phrase: "Dear 'HevFather', Thank for day, Thank for family, Happy Birthday!

Jane found a book she liked at the library. She stared at one page forever. A picture of an ant that fell down onto a watermelon that broke all over him. She was very concerned. We didn't check out the book but a few weeks later we went back and Jane went right to where she last saw it and told me she wanted the watermelon book. I managed to find it again and this time we checked it out. Jane stared at it FOREVER, but eventually let us turn to other pages so we could read her the whole story.

When Dad comes home from work Jane excitedly says, "I found him! I found Daddy!"

Jane is becoming obsessed with talking to everyone on the phone. I apologize to who this has happened to as her conversations usually involve saying the words of anything she sees around her. "Blanket." "Shirt." "TV." with minutes of silence in between. I'm so sorry.

As Jane tries to pick up on the nuances of pronouns, she has decided just to cover her bases. If she really wants something that she feels I might be trying to take away she will desperately scream, "Mine! Yours! Mine! Yours!"

She has also picked up on the new phrase "Don't Worry." It is so darling to hear because she only says it to herself in situations where I would normally be saying it to her. So if she's nervous about something I'll hear her say in a shaky voice, "Don't worry, Jane. Don't worry."

One morning I went to get Jane out of bed. She looked at me with a scowl on her face and said, "I'm mad." I thought, "This is going to be a great day."

I finally got Jane to name her baby doll. For a long time she would answer that the baby's name was Baby. Finally she said, "Um...Ella." I was so proud.

Also dealing with babies is the fact that Jane has started fake crying for them and then handing them to me. She wants me to hold them and tell them "It's Okay." Then she finally started to participate in the nurturing. But now she is starting to cry for everything. Like a little plastic shark that I would have to hold and cuddle. But I drew the line when she started crying for a balloon and wanted me to comfort it.



Since Matt and I OCCASIONALLY are running behind for church we end up having to sit in the very front row. One Sunday during a testimony meeting I shared my own little testimony and Jane stared at me in wonder. As soon as I sat down Jane loudly insisted, "Daddy do it! Daddy do it!" Another front row embarrassment is that when someone cries while speaking at the pulpit Jane points and says, "Boy sad." It's only made worse when it is a woman.

But the more embarrassing habit that Jane has picked up on is asking for the names of everyone she sees. Not embarrassing when it is the checkout lady at the store. I shouldn't know her name. Very embarrassing when she says it in front of acquaintances I'm speaking with at church, whose names I should know but totally don't. I just smile and hope that no one can understand her.