Norah Kate has changed so much in the last couple months. It's crazy to think that just a couple months ago we were hitting the terrible twos head on. With temper tantrums, fits, and outburst. Now, don't get me wrong, we still have rough moments and days... but they are MUCH better.
I don't really know what worked though to be honest. I think it was just a mixture of consistency, firmness, and a constant prayer of patience and strength. I had to pray constantly to be patient with her and remember she is learning and changing. I tried to spend more time showing her positive, loving attention, rather than waiting on the outburst or tantrums which required negative attention.
We bought a time-out chair which actually worked better than spankings. I could pop her and it not phase her but instead tick her off worse. Two minutes in time out was the perfect attitude adjustment.
Her personality is as strong as ever... She has discovered tattling ("Mama! Daddy/Hoss/Papa/Tyler do 'dat!" What did they do? "Hurt me!/Took my baby!/etc."). Sometimes no one even touches her but she decides to tell on them. She has started putting her hands on her hips when telling me things. When giving her candy for going on the big girl potty, she asks in the sweetest, most innocent little voice "I hold it?" talking about the bag of candy.
Potty training is a slow progress. We have good days and not so good days. She actually does a lot better at day care. Sometimes at home, we only go when she wants to go, then other days she will let me put her on the potty more frequently... I am not too stressed because even if I got her potty trained now she will regress when the baby comes.
She loves tending to her baby dolls, swinging and sliding on her swing set, playing hide & seek, cooking in her kitchen or helping me cook in my kitchen, watching Bubble Guppies, Dora, Paw Patrol and Mickey Mouse.
She is also at a little bit of a picky eating stage. Some days I might be doing good to get her to eat a piece of cheese, yogurt, and some fruit, then other days she is eating everything in site.
Norah Kate is counting to ten, knows some colors and can help put her clothes on (and take them off, she runs naked a lot).
She currently sleeps in our bed (most nights). She can sing a good portion of her ABCs, Jesus Love Me, Twinkle Twinkle, and Jingle Bells.
She is growing and learning and testing her boundaries and limits (and my patience) on a daily basis. I know she will be a great big sister!
Note: I found this post and realized I never published it, but I must have wrote it right after she turned two! So it is a little out of order.
