All of the sudden our sweet Baby J has decided she wants to grow up. She started saying things like "I wanna be a big
boy, like Brendan!" after months of saying, "I like being a baby" or "I'm a baby" the second we try to bring up certain topics (like potty training... and giving up the pacifier). We've learned in the past 2 1/2 years with our youngest little lady that once this kid decides on something, she means it and is often very stubborn about it this time, it is really working in our favor.
Originally, I had decided instead of the drawn out potty training we did with Clara that Janie would do better to wait and try the 3 day, stay-at-home method and that I wanted to wait until late Spring, maybe even Summer. Well, Kevin brought down the potty seat from storage so we could just introduce it to her, but she refused to even sit on it. No Biggie! One day she demanded to go potty "like Clara" and realized I jumped at the opportunity, but it ended up being the whole unroll the toilet paper routine. It must have been the amusement that provided because she started demanding to "try" more frequently. Once she coincidentally went pee on the potty seat and we rewarded her with a silly dance and candy, she was unstoppable. Within a week she had earned some Yo Gabba Gabba panties for having an accident free day! We really didn't have to get to the point of making a chart, she was motivated enough by a jelly bean or skittle each time and of course, our silly celebratory dances!
While I didn't really make her a chart, Clara eventually did and was fairly good at drawing her smiley faces with "high fives" each time she went. When Clara deemed that she had filled up her chart, we Grandma Jan & Mommy let Janie pick out a toy at our favorite store, White Horse Toys. Janie paraded around Gilman Village with her Calico Critter Beavers beaming that she was a "big girl."
Running with the potty success and her interest in finally caring about being a "Big Girl" we introduced the idea of the Binky Fairy and asked her what she thought would be a fun treat for letting the fairy take the binkies to the little babies. Immediately she came up with the idea of visiting Chuck E. Cheese. We had been once before and she seemed to remember the experience well. Every night we'd ask, but even if she initially decided she wanted to let the Binky Fairy to come and we'd set out her binkies in a little bowl, she would always change her mind. Then she had another trip to Chuck E. Cheese for cousin Taylor's 6th Birthday and she became a little more interested, but still not quite enough to give them up.
After talking to some friends who used the cutting method, we decided to give it a try (the method my parents used to get me to give mine up). I hid all the other binkies and cut the end off of one. Janie noticed immediately, fussed for a minute and then found a way to make it work. Little by little we cut off a little bit more at a time. It got to the point where it would easily fall out of her mouth while she was sleeping. She was waking up more often, but our eye was on the prize. Then one day when we were headed to Grandma's house, we couldn't find the binky to take along. Jane Bug piped in, "Did the Binky Fairy take my binky?' While being away from home wasn't ideal for this slightly traumatic event, we went with, wore the girls out with a trip to the Hands On Children's Museum and pushed her nap so she was really tired at bed time. AND IT WORKED!!! We have been binky free ever since!
At 2 1/2 Janie's play has continued to become more mature. She and Clara have so much fun together and she has learned to go along with Clara's games, but she also have really taken off with her independent play. She plays with her Yo Gabba Gabba dolls every day and has started her own imaginative play that isn't influenced as much by Clara. One of her favorite activities right now (we have been using it as a reward) is watching kids yoga lessons on the computer. She is so adorable watching intently and following the directions for the little yoga moves. Some of them are quite challenging for a 2 year old, but she tries really hard and begs for more.
We are fortunate that Janie still enjoys sleeping in her crib and has yet to attempt and escape. She has started asking about a "Big Girl Bed" though. With Clara we kinds of had a reason around this age to make the transition to her new room so the crib was ready for little sister, but there is not any rush for Janie. We are still trying to decide if we use half of the bonus room to make her a bedroom or transition both girls into the big bedroom upstairs. In the meantime, Janie we will convert Janie's crib to a toddler bed, but only when absolutely necessary!
While she is willing to stay in the crib, getting her to sleep is far from easy these days. She still needs a nap, but will sometimes spend the whole 2 hours laughing, talking and singing in her crib. On these days she is crashing at the dinner table. On the days where she does take a nap, she can't seem to get to sleep at night. And either way leads to a cranky kid!
In Grandma's last visit, Janie Bug got her first hair cut and combined with the other big steps she made to be a "Big Girl" having her "baby hair fall off" and her sweet new look had Kevin & I in tears thinking of how fast babies grow up! Especially the second ones who always trail right behind their older sibling!
