Once more I am down in the rabbit hole of Parental Guilt as it’s taken me almost three months to write one monthly update about Elfie, yet she is changing at an alarming rate. Each day we have a new word, a new idiosyncrasy a new look… she delights us constantly. Apart from the times she is a bit of a monkey and on those times she delights us from the naughty step.
I know I’m very much biased but Elfie really is the most delightful human being. She’s easy-going, happy and is developing a wicked sense of humour. She is always chattering and loves to talk about her favourite people: mummy, daddy, bubby, Rowrow (grannie Harold) Gagi (grannie J-T) and Papa (grandpa). The first thing she asks to see when she wakes up in the morning is her little brother and she just loves to cuddle him and give him all her toys. And then take them back (sharing: we are learning it) .
She’s still a great eater but is like me: she will eat when she’s hungry but when she isn’t she won’t. She loves porridge for breakfast, ‘nanies’ (bananas), lasagne, stew, peas, carrots, ham, fish, potatoes (CHIPS!), cake… basically anything. Her favourite food in the whole world is yoghurt and she asks for it after every. single. meal. She manages to smear it everywhere, all over her face, down her trousers, on the floor. There’s constantly yoghurt mess to clean up in our house.
We like to think that Elfie’s a bit of a clever clogs. She can count to ten, she misses out 7 and 8 but still gets there. And that’s what counts, right?! Every time we get dressed in the morning she lists off the person who bought her each item of clothing: Gagi, Papa, Rowrow – her memory is amazing. She also loves to draw and stickers are literally THE BEST thing (you’ll find them on our floors, windows, in the shower…). She’s also been doing a bit of ‘creative play’ that we’ve noticed recently, feeding her teddies and dolls, putting them on the potty and chatting to them.
Her biggest obsession at the moment is probably with bubbles. She delights in baths and showers, and goes absolutely nuts at the blow-bubbles you can buy in toy shops for 99p. She’s also always asking to go on a walk and loves to be outside (I don’t know who she gets this from, it ain’t me) and if you throw a swing into the mix you are GOLDEN. She also loves Jigsaws, books (preferably about tractors or buses – no gender stereotyping in this house!), the drawing app on my iPhone and bloody Peppa Pig.
Her health has been amazing for the last few months which I am so thankful for, save this weekend when she had a tummy bug. This has been her first bug as a toddler rather than a baby and it’s really knocked her (and I) for six. She’s hated throwing up, though managed to use mummy’s sick bowl after a nasty incident involving the sofa, and has been very aware of being hot and bothered. Fingers crossed she’s back to her normal lively self soon, it’s horrible to see her in so much discomfort.
The last couple of weeks have been quite big for us as we’ve switched from a cot to a big girl’s bed and got rid of the dummies. More on this at a later date, but suffice to say my eyebags are huge. The next on our Great Parenting List is the dreaded potty training, something I was hoping to get done this summer but it’s pretty hard when she shrieks every time you approach her with the potty. She’s a lot more amenable to the mini seat that is placed on the toilet and will actually sit on the potty now fully dressed… it’s a start. I am so looking forward to having only one bum to wipe.
There is one downside to being two and that is the word ‘NO’. She knows what it means as is not afraid to use it, and this is when the naughty step comes into play. I love that she is so bloody minded but boy do my negotiation skills now rival the UN’s. It’s all the more frustrating when I ask her to do something completely insignificant, she gives me the big N-O and then I have to follow through with making her do it. Which can take fooooorever.
Nevertheless, I would not change this little monkey for the world. In fact she and her much quieter little brother are my world. We love you, Elf.
Efie is such a beautiful little girl! I’m so happy to hear that she’s nice and healthy. :)
Elfie is a beautiful little lady – those eyes!
It’s lovely reading where you’re up to, I have many of these things to come, although at 16 months we unfortunately already have NO :( Although I must say it does help in some ways, as before she always said yes even when she meant no!
I will look forward to reading about how you tackle the dreaded potty training!
Thank you for another very well written, delightful post x
She’s utterly lovely, and I’m delighted to hear her health has been so good on the whole – long may it continue!
I know Ramona probably COULD move up to a big girl bed now, but I’m delaying it because, frankly, I’ve JUST achieved having my own bedroom again and the thought of little feet padding up and down the corridor is just too much right now. *selfish face*
I’d kind of love to get stuck in to potty training, so I could dispense with those bloody nappies but she’s clearly not ready yet. She’s simply too into doing what she’s doing, and won’t tell me she needs to go. After which we have this conversation:
Me: Have you done a poo?
R: No.
Me: Are you sure?
R: Yes.
Me: Then why do you smell? Have you done a poo?
R: *sideways glance* No…
Me: I’m going to check. *checks* Ramona… what’s in your nappy?
R: POO!
Good luck!
I love these updates, even I feel totally guilty that I’ve been crap about doing them myself – and don’t have the excuse of two bums to wipe! Maybe I’ll just copy and paste this comment… ;)
You are obviously and justifiably completely proud of your beautiful family. That’s so lovely to read.
x
I love these posts. Elfie is so gorgeous – such pretty eyes!
she is LUSH!!!! xxxx
She is such a character!! Cutie! I must start writing more down about Poppy as it will be lovely to read back on when they are older. X
What a gorgeous girl – beautiful portraits – and she has such stunning eyes! This is such a lovely age.
she is the most beautiful little thing, Alice! Don’t stress too much about the potty training: sounds like you’ve made a lot of changes of late. I found leaving a potty or two very visibly when we were at home encouraged The Girls’ interest in using them…..
Lovely post. L is a month younger and I eagerly (read desperately) await the post on how you ditched the dummies!! Xx
She is such a gorgeous little girl
Beautiful little girl!
Gorgeous girl and great to hear that her health (apart from the bug) has been so good x
I have a 3 year old daughter. We have been told by her doctor that she has met all of her milestones for for a 3 year old, 4 year old, and some of her milestones for a 5 year old. What I don’t understand is why she keeps fighting us on sitting on the potty. She tells us ” I can’t want it!” Then she cries. I have her sit on the potty at least 10 minutes. Sometimes she previals but most of the time she doesn’t. She gets a star if she just sits on the potty, and if she pees or poos then she gets 2 stars and a prize out of the treasure chest. She knows how to undress to potty and to dress again. She knows how to take her potty to the toilet and dump it and flush. She even knows how to wash her hands afterwards. But she just refuses to do it. When she does pee or poo in the potty, we dance and sing and make a big deal about it. She loves it. Why then is she resisting so much. (We tried to potty train her when she was younger, and at that time she was doing great. then she had her heart surgery and we were told not to worry about potty training until after she healed from her surgery. Now that we waited, we have had an extreamely hard time. We are sooo frustrated. This potty training is one part of my mommyhood that I am looking forward to being over.