Happiness is a Warm Squirming Toddler Kicking You in the Kidneys
October 10, 2007
I have a confession. It's a very naive and doom-inviting confession, but since I'm battling some blogger's block and have nothing else to talk about (unless you'd like to hear about the shield bugs currently infesting our home and just how many I've got trapped in the hand vac), I am going to say it anyway.
I like two. I like two a lot.
Granted, we're only a week and a half into two, and I know two has plenty of time to become truly terrible, but right now? Two is delightful. Charming. Hilarious. Fun.
(Hmm...is the sky looking a little...fally....perhaps?)
I can't help saying it. I'm blown away by how much fun Noah is these days. I don't know if it's because the sign language and speech improvements have catapulted us out of the realm of EH EH EH EH EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE tantrums and into hello, Mama, might I trouble you for some juice, and perhaps your assistance in getting my choo choo train out of the toilet? or just because of this HUGE explosion of personality, imagination and oh my God, this kid has my sense of humor. Everybody watch your bra straps.
I'm discovering that not only do I love him -- and there are still days when my skin positively hums with how much -- but I also really, really like him.
Sure, we have a lot of NO. We have SO MUCH NO. Surplus NO, shipped in by the truckload. (The way he says NO has even changed in the past couple weeks -- he says it with feeling now, as if he's offended by your very question.)
But we also have a sweet, sensitive and polite little guy, who blows kisses and knows the sign for love and still wants to cuddle and play with my hair. And then he wants to run around and laugh and squeal because when he's happy, he feels happiness with his entire body, from head to toe, and damn, he's one happy two-year-old.
Bring it on, two. Bring it on.
You think 2 is great, wait 'til you get to 3. My Kid is now 14 and 3 is still my favorite age.
I agree. 2 is wonderful. I have always said that 3 is MUCH harder than 2, mainly because you can forgive a 2 year old for being rude because they're still in the early learning phases. By 3, though, you expect that they KNOW how to behave, but choose not to! :) Enjoy 2. It is so marvelous!
Usually I can resist commenting (I don't think I ever have before) and I'm sure you've never heard THIS before *sarcasm* but MAN is he cute!!!
It's amazing how just reading about him and seeing the way you capture his huge personality in pictures can make me love him, too!
I can just imagine how happy Noah must feel, himself. He must have been so frustrated not being able to convey his wants/needs to you in a way you could understand. And now that you both know how to communicate with each other? Now that you can understand what he's saying and he knows how to make you understand? Think of the relief that little beautiful boy must be feeling. That sense of pride and accomplishment and "Ah...FINALLY, she can hear what I'm saying!" Even at his young age, he must be so ecstatic. No wonder he's a joy.
ps -- Worlds Most Beautiful Boy EVER = Noah.
Oh, and another P.S. -
If we lived closer, I'd totally be offering a dowery to you and arranging a future marriage between your Noah (aged 2.0) and my Eirinn (aged 1.5). Just so you know.
Aren't you glad you don't live closer to this brand of crazy?
Amalah! I love you, I love Noah, and I'm sure you heard all that before, but it's true! I've read the past two years of entries in the past two weeks, and for me he grew up SO FAST. Still, I cannot wait to watch him grow up even more.
I love having this experience through your blog, as I got MY kids when they were teenagers (or pre-teen, whatever) and so enjoying Noah with you = win. :)
Gosh, it's really hard writing something sensible to someone you completely admire...
End comment!
I actually don't mind two that much either. I like that Michael can tell me what he wants. I just wish he listened more.
I loved two, too. It's 2 1/2 that kicks your ass.
And wtf is a shield bug? Itching... Googling...
Oh. Those are stink bugs around these parts. Don't squish 'em. Eeeeooo.
I thing it should be called the terrific twos. They are sooo much fun. It's three you have to watch out for...
Oh, I remember the two's, they were fun and exciting and everything was a new adventure. It was the three's that no one warned me about and the know it all five's. Enjoy the two's it truly is a time for you to be a kid again!
I miss two.
Three is a lot harder (although it's been getting better lately because Gavin's speech has improved quite a bit).
Can't wait to hit cute two with Cooper, although cute 3 months is kind of fun (i.e. he just realized that those hands of his can actually put something in that mouth of his!).
Also, think I might've seen you on the Dulles tollroad a couple weeks ago...looked a lot like you, but had DC tags (I remember your MD DMV pretty well--figured that meant you had MD tags). Plus, there wasn't a beautiful little boy in the backseat, so must've been your doppleganger. :)
We've to a lot of "no" at our house too. But so far, I like 18 months just fine!
From what I hear, two is good, it's three you have to worry about...
Yay for 2! I really enjoyed my boys at 2. I do remember 3 being a bit tougher, but every kid's different.
Enjoy the happiness that is your Noah.
Awe. This post made me feel all warm and fuzzy. I can't wait for two. Although 6 months is pretty good for now.
Oh that face just makes my ovaries hurt.
I'm truly happy for you.
Now that I have 19 years to reflect on the situation, I am positive two was the most wonderful age. I enjoyed her at two in such an all consuming way. She did not grow her horns and tail until 3. No terrible twos for us.
PS word of advice 19 is HORRIBLE! Just tuck that away for later ; )
I too found two to be awesome and amazing. Terrible came closer to three for us, which also coincided with the birth of my second son. My now four year old has been horribly cranky and demanding and whiny ever since, but at least I had that one beautiful year. Two truly is wonderful.
Mmmhmm. Two was good. Four sucked the life out of me. Fifteen found me rotting in my grave but Twenty? Is fantastic. One of three is 20, two of three is thirteen and three of three is a fresh and shiny six. I'm glad the toddler days are far behind but the teenage years are hell with a fresh serving of holy fuck on the side. It's funny though that you don't really realize how bad one stage really was until you come out on the other side and wonder how you survived it.
God that sounds so negative so I should throw in a disclaimer about how much I adore my boys blah blah blah ;)
So cute. So FREAKING CUTE. Can you send Two over here? Cause all I have is cats, and they are hateful. I needs me a Noahlah.
Two does rock! My son is a couple of months in, and every day is even better than the last one - because, oh wow - he learned to climb that chain link ladder thing at the park yesterday, and he learns stuff all the time, and he just glows. Mine even started (gasp!) sleeping. But more than that, he's just such a wonderful, sweet, person to be around. Two is definitely about fun.
Two is fun. Wait until you get to three, though. I loved three. Both of my boys were so much fun and so sweet and incredibly them by three.
I've always wished I had a blog when my son was a kid so I could have documented his childhood and my feelings about him, but every time I read your entries about Noah, I feel like, "That. That's what I would have felt like too." So - I'm just going to send him here and say, "What she said."
But I can honestly say, EVERY year that passed I thought, "Ok. This is the BEST one so far." I wish you the same awesomeness.
I love 2. It's 3 that makes me quake in my boots.
On topic: Oh so so so so very cute.
Slightly off topic: I don't know if anyone else mentioned it in another entry, but WNBC-TV's website has a contest to win four tickets to "Rent". I think it would be totally great for someone completely outside their viewing area to win.
http://www.wnbc.com/sponsors/13427145/detail.html
Congratulations! Two is wonderful. I am now attempting 3. Luck to both of us!
we are 6 months into TWO and it is still delightful. ONE was hard. TWO is terrific!
I've always thought two was great, but it's three you have to watch out for; three is a two year-old with experience. However, I also think the oldest child gets sheltered from a lot of that 'life experience' that the following siblings don't.
That explains why my 3yo is singing:
Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat. If you don't, I don't care, I'll pull down your underwear.
...when my oldest didn't learn that until at least kindergarten.
He's such a cutie - enjoy him!
nice post. i two, love two. but there are days when the weather changes (it rained all day yesterday) that two turns into an indoor tornado. a tornado of giggles but a tornado nonetheless.
Haven't read all the comments, so I don't know if someone else has broken this to you yet, but. . .
From what I hear from reliable experts (including many other moms, and daycare teachers who are also moms), two isn't terrible. Three, however, is another story.
So, uh, enjoy two. And gird thy loins for the next phase, 'cause you're going to need it.
The older they get the more fun they are, that's for sure. But I did especially love the year between 2 and 3, it was sweet and exciting to see their real personalities emerge.
It does just get better and better. More fun - less work!
It changes every six months for us. (Thank you for pointing this out, "Your 2 Year Old," "Your 3 Year Old," etc. series -- http://www.amazon.com/Your-Two-Year-Old-Louise-Bates-Ames/dp/0440506387)
It's the equilibrium/disequilibrium thing -- six months of "I can't do this, Mom, you do this for me... Aiiiiiii!" followed by six months of "I RAWK at this." (I can relate.)
It kills me when they're struggling with something when they're older, and you still can see that little 3-year-old, trying to figure something out.
Whoops, try this:
http://www.amazon.com/Your-Two-Year-Old-Louise-Bates-Ames/dp/0440506387
nevermind ;)
nevermind ;)
I didn't think it was even possible, but the older he gets the more handsome and adorable he gets. Good lord are you going to have your hands full someday!!
Amy - I laughed at this because my son is 6 months older than Noah. From April until September, my husband and I loudly proclaimed about how the terrible twos were much maligned, etc. Then he hit two and a half... and it hasn't been as much fun. More stubbornness, an annoying ability to do far more himself (but sooooo slooowwlly), lots more opinions, etc. In any case, enjoy your son-love now and be prepared that it could crash down with little notice. Or not!
Preshus, he is.
He looks so much like you Amy, it's crazy. Every picture I see, more and more.
I love this age too. Madison is two soon and she is just the joy of our lives. She captures everyone's heart, no matter where we are. She says "NO" too, and when she means yes she says "mm hmm" like a big person. And they smell so good...mother hood is sweet.
Assuming the picture of the girl-child at the upper left of my screen is you, then I would venture to say that your son looks so very much like you that it's like - wow! - scarey! And not scarey-ugly but scarey because grow out the hair some more and put the sun-dress on him (please don't, really!!) and voila!! Amy! Two IS fun....I miss two....14 talks too much, and has discovered sarcasm. Also, loved the skin-humming metaphor....I still have it also, even through the sarcasm!
Two is ok. Three is what you have to worry about. Three is like the evil twin of two, where two gets all the blame.
And four, oh my lord! I don't even want to think about four! Heaven's to murgatroid!
(actually, four's pretty cool)
Two was always my favorite age and everyone thought I was crazy, but I wasn't. It's the best age of all. They develop spirit and a little bit of independence, and that should never be broken.
I'm glad you appreciate it. Two is the bestest!
Two is divine.
Three is hell-on-wheels.
He really reminds me of my brother at that age...what a cutie (like you've never heard that before).
I had to look up what a shield bug was...I call them stinkbugs. We currently have fruit flies, which are driving me nuts.
Glad to see the terrible twos aren't so terrible.
I've been lurking around in your archives. I'm 10 weeks along, and am really enjoying what you had to say WAY back when. Thanks for the humor woman, I *pink puffy heart* you for it!
by the way, got my Baby Signing Time DVD in the mail today and then spent an hour holding a squirming 7 month old up in front of the tv. My 6 year old has already leared all the signs. That company should totally pay you royalties...
Okay, cat on the computer resulted in the previous screw-up.
At least this time I have an excuse.
More to the point: two absolutely rocks. Great age; loved every minute of it. It's four that is the problem. Four year olds are bad, bad news.
I've heard it before and now I know it's true... Three is the new Terrible Two.