I was looking back over my recent blog posts and noticed I hadn’t written much about Toddler Adams recently. Having recently hit the age of two, I thought I’d let you all know how she is getting on.
There’s no denying that Elizabeth has always been a little more demanding that her older sister. I don’t think this is any great surprise; she’s the second child so has to shout louder to be heard (which she would do, literally and with great effect).
Just recently, however, her verbal skills have come on immensely. She is putting together simple sentences and can express herself much more clearly.
The shouting for attention has almost disappeared entirely. Instead it’s been replaced with an affectionate tug on your hand and a demand to “come” so she can show you what she wants.
I think the most significant development has been in terms of potty training. To our amazement, Elizabeth has started potty training herself. Mornings and evenings she will sit on the potty without being asked and more often than not, she will, ahem, “perform.” There’s more work to be done, but it took much greater effort to get Helen, her older sister, to reach this stage.
When I collect Helen from school in the afternoons, Elizabeth is always with me and she will often spend some time playing with the older kids. They’re very sweet with her and she’s something of a mini-celebrity. This is something the two sisters have in common. Helen was always keen to mingle and mix with older kids and Elizabeth seems to be carrying on the tradition. The big difference, of course, is that Elizabeth is mingling with older kids in the school yard and so when she starts school it hopefully won’t come as quite such a shock to her.
Another little quirk that Elizabeth has huge consideration for her older sibling. If, for instance, she is given a treat (such as a piece of chocolate), she will always respond with “Helen one.” You have to give her a second piece and she will, without fail, run off and hand the second piece over to her sister.
Being the second child, I have sometimes worried that Elizabeth has missed out on the attention Helen received. It’s concerned me, but at the same time, that’s just a fact of life. We know of families with considerably more children.
I think my fears are possibly a little misplaced. The kid’s doing well and she’s such a cheeky little scamp. Long may it continue.
