Not So Terrible Twos

What exactly is so terrible about a two year old playing dress up, climbing and standing on the stove, using a purple marker for lipstick, and eating a cookie somewhere other than the table?

Personally, I don't think anything.

Maybe that's the problem. Maybe the problem is I find it totally endearing and adorable.

But how can I scold a two year old face like this?

Miss Independent

Gabriella likes to surprise me by getting herself dressed. This is the lovely outfit she choose today for our blistering 32 degree January weather. Who wouldn't sport a dress that short with legs like these? Poor girl. Bruises like her mother. And that fancy pose? She told me she was standing like the French do. I asked, "How do you know how the French stand?" She answered like she was irritated I even had to ask. "Beccaauuse Moomm. I've been to French."

Well now. That explains everything.

Dirty Jokes

Gabriella has learned about knock knock jokes.

I don't know where she picked it up from, but at bed time, she wants to tell us knock knock jokes to prolong the bedtime routine. We usually humor her and wait at the door to hear her knock knock joke.

Then, Gwen has to have a turn. Gwen tries very hard to repeat the same knock knock joke that Gabs just said. She usually doesn't get it just right, but they laugh so hard at themselves nonetheless.

The jokes usually go something like this:

Girls: Knock knock.

Parent: Who's there?

Girls: Potato.

Parent: Potato who?

Girls: Potato, window, stinky baby diaper, monster, Jamie (or insert anyname here), toot.

It's always Potato knocking, and there's always a baby diaper, and the jokes always end in toot.

The girls crack up. It makes Joe and I laugh every time, because they just roll over these jokes. But mostly, I laugh because Gwen always plugs her nose after the joke and says, "eeewwy." And if I don't plug my nose she tells me, "Mom, honk your nose." So we have to plug our nose every time too.

Last night, they continued telling one another a different version of this same knock knock joke for about fifteen minutes after I said good night to them. Cracking up every time. I'm sure it's only funny to me as the mom, but I had to smile too as I sat and listened to them laughing, because I am just grateful that the subject of these hilarious knock knock jokes are a baby's diaper. So please forgive me if your child starts telling diaper knock knock jokes. It's totally our fault.

Always A Sidekick

Gwen's a good sport. She's a good little sister. She will follow Gabs anywhere and do anything for her hero-her big sister.

The two of them play well together. Very well actually. It's something that even others have said to me. They really are best of friends.

The reason they are best friends and play so well together? Gwen is happy to be the sidekick.

When they play Dora, Gabs is Dora, and Gwen loves to be Boots.

When they are playing Cinderella, Gabs has to be Cinderella and Gwen convincingly plays the prince.

When Gabriella wants to play pet shop owner, Gwen will crawl around like a dog while Gabs pulls her along with a ribbon leash.

When Gabriella has a friend over, Gwen is told to be a monster and scare them. She happily obliges.

When Gabriella gets her cape out and acts like a queen, Gwen is given a pointy hat and wand and is told to be a witch. She has that witch cackle down.

I especially love when they play house. Gabs plays the mom and Gwen gets to be the baby. She sits in her dolls high chair and Gabriella and I laugh as she waves her arms and fake cries for food. Gabs also gets to pick out their clothes as "mom" and that's always colorful. (See picture above)

Being the little sister can be hard. But for Gwen, she's just happy to play along, however she is told. It makes my heart swell to see them play together and get along so well. I hope they always remain this close. Because I've witnessed the days when Gwen is not content being the sidekick, and it's not pretty. Soon she's going to realize that the prince is a boy and Boots is a boy, and the witch is mean and crawling on the floor hurts your knees....and when that day comes, we are going to be in a hurt of trouble over here.