Claire is Growing Up

This post is probably more for my own personal records. I just wanted to write a quick "snapshot" of what Claire is like these days. It may be a little boring for anyone who isn't immediate family, but I hope you'll indulge me. I want to be able to look back on this some day and remember what my little girl was doing when she was two.

I'll start with a quick potty training update. We are (mostly) back on track with the potty training, although there are still occasional accidents. She's moved to the big potty, which means I don't have a floor potty to clean out every time she goes - hooray! She will usually go on her own without any prompting and really doesn't need my help until it's time to wipe and wash hands. She can pull off her own pants. For some reason, she still prefers to be totally naked for the potty, so she often removes her shirt as well. She does still insist on her candy reward after using the potty, but I'm hoping we'll be able to let go of that over the next few weeks.

She went to a Parents Night Out program this Saturday and made it through the evening without a single accident. When we dropped her off, we took a minute to show her where the bathroom was and to remind her that if she needed to use the potty, she could just tell the teacher. It worked. The teacher said Claire used the potty like a pro all evening. I'm hoping we're on our way to a diaper-free home.

Aside from the potty training, I am also amazed by Claire's vocabulary. She is such a talker! She can use complete sentences, like "That's a great song on the radio." and "May I have more drink, please?" When she's trying to "practice her patience", she'll often say things like, "First we get dressed, then read a story." or "When we get home, I get a snack." What really makes me laugh, though, is to hear my toddler say the things she's heard me say over and over again. For instance, anytime something appears to be broken, she will say "Daddy fix it." I guess I do depend on Josh for his handyman services. :-) She also seems to be picking up on my safety rules. Earlier this week, we handed her a candy for using the potty and she held it up and said "Choking hazard!" Josh and I burst out laughing. For the record, it was not a choking hazard and she happily devoured the chocolate chip.

She also loves to sing and has memorized several songs, which she performs for us regularly. Some of her current favorites are "London Bridge", "Jesus Loves Me", "Row Your Boat", and the "ABCs". In fact, just yesterday, she sang the ABCs, gave herself a round of applause, and said "That's my favorite song!" She also loves any song about using the potty and washing her hands, which I love because it makes my job easier.

As far as her motor skills go, the most interesting (and welcome) new development is that she can now dress herself. She's been able to strip at will for months now, but getting the clothes back on has been somewhat of a production. In the last few weeks, however, she has been putting her clothes back on by herself. She can put on her pants and shirt (she can even get her arms into the holes). She does occasionally put them on backwards or inside out, but sometimes she recognizes her mistake and says "I need to turn it around." She hasn't quite mastered shoes, yet. She can get her feet in them, but needs my help to actually latch them. It's only a matter of time, though. I already see her playing with them and trying to figure it out.

Mostly, I am just amazed at how grown up she is. The baby in her is disappearing fast. When I look at her now, I see a little girl. Sometimes, I just gather her up in my arms and snuggle her close to me as though I could keep her small if I just hold her in a little bundle in my arms. But within seconds, she wiggles free and I watch her run off giggling. In those moments, I feel a tension of pride in her accomplishments and sadness at how quickly she makes them. Then I think, this is a feeling I should try to get used to. This is what it feels like to watch your babies grow up every day.