Monday 27 May 2019

2 years of Ella-Grace: 2nd birthday and 2 year update



























Introduction...

Taking a break from posting about my ever growing bump and focusing on my first born. Recently our wonderful daughter, Ella-Grace, turned 2 years old and that is definitely something to write about. I started this blog because of Ella-Grace (well out of boredom on maternity leave but also because of her haha) and so many people who read my blog now have followed my journey as a mother and Ella-Grace's journey since birth becoming the two year old she is today, so I thought you would all like the details. The purpose of these posts as well are for us as a family to look back on, a sort of online time capsule if you will that once my children are old enough they can look back on and read and know how they were doing at this time, how their Mother and Father were doing and hopefully smile. I would love to know what my Mum and Dad were thinking about/doing when I was two years old. Anyway without delaying the post anymore (I am literally ready to burst any day with this baby so I have limited time as it is haha) here is Ella-Grace's two year update. Enjoy. 

Overview of Year 2...

Our second year as parents and Ella-Grace's second year of life, a lot happened and it most definitely went quicker than the first year (I hope this is not an on going thing, I want her to stay little as long as possible!). 
I remember when Ella-Grace turned 1 year old I thought to myself "This is it, this is my favourite age" but oh my goodness this past year has shown me that although having a walking, talking toddler is challenging at times, it is beyond worth it because there are so many special moments. I feel like this past year her personality has really developed and she is now her very own little person. She has likes, dislikes and opinions (which she will of course be happy to share) and I just love it! 
Her development from a 1 year old and a 2 year old has been amazing and as parents Reece and I are so very proud of ourselves for how we are raising her and what we have managed to help her achieve so far as well of course being proud of the little lady herself, these are her personal achievements and we burst with pride every day for our darling girl... like I am sure all parents do. 

Big Milestones...

Going into more detail now, Ella-Grace's second year was full of big milestones; some we did not think we would be reaching by age two but she surprised us. 

Side note: Please do not compare anything your child is doing to what Ella-Grace is doing, I really do not want to put any parent or child down nor do I want my child put down if she has not met something that another child has. Please read this in the mind set we all should have which is all children are different and develop on different time scales, reaching milestones when they are ready. Back to regular programming haha. 


Ella-Grace started walking at 13 months old, taking her first steps at her first ever toddler group. Ella-Grace was babbling at 12 months old but not saying full words, now at 24 months she has quite a vast vocabulary and we are able to have small conversations with her and she can definitely understand instruction. Ella-Grace has been potty trained through the day since about 22/23 months old- still wearing  nappies through the night, that is yet to be tackled but no rush. Ella-Grace has learned to run, jump, spin around, skip, hop etc this year also and this I think is a massive thanks to her gymnastics class we take her to; this has really helped with her balance and co-ordination. Ella-Grace has gradually used cutlery instead of her hands for her meals over her second year and is now able to use a 'big girl cup' instead of a sippy cup or bottle- bottles went at about 12/13 months. We said goodbye to her dummy when Ella-Grace was 1 and 1/2 and never looked back (thank goodness for this process being east!) and around this time also Ella-Grace moved from her crib to a toddler bed. These are the milestones that really stuck out in my mind. 

Hard times...

Like with everything in life there were of course hard times during Ella-Grace's second year including a traumatic first haircut- sounds dramatic but when someone hacks off your child's hair cutting their ear trust me its traumatic, ruined this first but we have moved passed it-, struggles with possible asthma, of course the expected illnesses that all children will get and the tough times in transitions such as potty training, moving to toddler bed as you would expect although we are very lucky she took to these transitions pretty easy. Over all we have been quite lucky to not have too many tough times in Ella-Grace's second year and we are very thankful for that even if at the times that were difficult we felt overwhelmed. Overall, very fortunate. 

Good times...

Like I said, fortunately we did not have too many bad times during Ella-Grace's second year and thus the good out weighs the bad significantly! 
Obviously the milestones I already mentioned were big highlights and we are so proud of our little angel! Other good times that stick out include her first (followed by many consecutive) trip to the cinema, visiting Willows animal sanctuary, taking her to her first (and my first) vegan festival, trying out different classes, making new friends, taking her to her first pantomime, celebrating holidays, having Ella-Grace as a flower girl at our wedding, finding out Ella-Grace is going to be a big sister and of course celebrating her second birthday with a Toy Story birthday party! All amazing memories that will last a life time and lessons we have learned together of which we can carry into her third year of life our third year as parents. 

Looking forward to her 3rd year...

Now into Ella-Grace's third year of life (I cannot believe I have just typed that!) and there are so many fun things ahead of us that I am sure come with their own challenges. This year will of course be consumed by the life changing transition to being parents to two children instead of one, Ella-Grace taking on her role as big sister and getting used to no longer being an only child. I have a feeling this will be her toughest year yet as it is a big change but it will all be worth it and I do feel she will thrive as a big sister once we settle into a routine; still waiting for baby 2 to make their appearance so it is hard to know anything but I can tell you we are all very excited. 

Aside from this huge change that will be happening I am excited to see what other milestones our first born will meet this year and what more we can teach her! I am hoping to get her into more classes this year, start to teach her more about life as she gains more understanding but focusing on her having fun, that is of course what a childhood should be full of. Reece and I hope to go on our first family holiday before Ella-Grace turns 3 and that I am sure will be all about fun! Who knows what Ella-Grace will know or who she will be when she turns 3, I can just tell you I am excited for the upcoming year and I am going to enjoy seeing her bloom. Although I do hope she doesn't turn 3 too soon, stay little for a little longer please sweetheart! 

Ella-Grace as a 2 year old...


So, now I have recapped on past year and what I am looking forward to in the year to come, it is time to talk about the present, time to talk about Ella-Grace as a 2 year old (well 2 years and 2 months old) and all that comes with that! 

Eating 




*Touch wood* Ella-Grace has never been a particularly fussy eater. As most of you know by now Reece and I are raising our children vegan and some think that this comes with being a fussy eater or having limitations on what a child can eat but really this is not the case and there are is a whole world of plant-based goodness out there that our family thrives on!! I mean Ella-Grace loves tofu and all different kinds of beans and pulses, there are many children I know who wouldn't even know what those things are and neither would their parents (this is not a judgement I am just stating that our choice may be different to yours but that does not mean it is limiting, only different). 

Of course Ella-Grace will have her fussy times, what child doesn't? And we do find she eats better when things are in her routine and if we were to have supper at my parents house for example she may not eat as much but that I think is understandable- I mean I get anxious outside a routine so why wouldn't my child who depends on it perhaps more than me. Then there are her dislikes, she does not any kind of berries (unless baked in a muffin or warmed in her porridge haha) and lettuce and spinach aren't her favourite but majority of the time she is up for trying anything and in our house as long as you try it that is good enough. 
Her favourite foods include beans, rice, pasta, tofu, banana, raisins, carrots, broccoli, cereal, vegetable fingers (vegan take on 'fish fingers' just full of veggies), soup and more, like I said not fussy and open to a lot of different foods. 
Ella-Grace loves to get involved in cooking or baking and I think this really does help towards her trying new things. 
She has 3 meals a day (breakfast being her favourite) and snacks (lots of snacks haha). A typical days meals would perhaps look like this: 


  • Breakfast (6am/7am): Multi-grain hoops with oat milk, avocado toast and chopped banana with chia seeds. Cup of water. 
  • Lunch (12pm/1pm): Vegetable fingers, beans and half baked potato. Cup of Oat Milk. 
  • Supper (5pm/6pm): Tofu and vegetable curry with brown rice. Cup of Oat Milk

  • Snacks would include things like bread sticks and hummus, toast with peanut butter and chia seeds, dairy free yogurts, crackers and dairy-free cheese, boiled carrots, raisins, fruit pouches, rice cakes, banana etc.   Through the day we always have water available to her. 


Her health has always been great and we have never had any worry about nutrition (thankfully), long may this continue. 


Speaking 

Our little girl is most definitely a chatterbox, her vocabulary is something that seems to widen every single day! She is always learning words and finding it easier to repeat familiar sounds so if you tell her a new word that is similar to one she already knows it is likely she will be able to say it and remember it. 

In the small time since she turned two years old, Ella-Grace has gone from knowing a few single words to being able to put sentences and phrases together. "I love you", "hug and a kiss please Mummy", "Silly Daddy" and "Thank you" being just some of the phrases that melt my heart! She of course knows a few cheeky phrases such as "No way!" but let's not talk about those haha! In all fairness she does change this to "No thank you" very quickly. 

Ella-Grace enjoys singing songs and currently knows all the words to the chorus of 'Let It Go' and is quickly learning the lyrics to JoJo Siwa's song 'Bop'. These are her songs of choice. 

She can ask questions and ask for things she would like such as asking for a snack, a drink, to watch tv, a toy, to go outside etc and vise versa she can understand our questions and take instruction which brings me onto the next point, behaviour. 

Behaviour 

I would just like to make it clear before I write in this section of the post that I despise the term 'terrible twos' and so when I talk about behaviour I would like you all to know I am very much teaching on the basis of gentle parenting and knowing that my two year old is just that, a two year old, who is still learning the 'suitable' way to behave and how to handle her own emotions. This I think many people forget and think that somehow the magical age of two they go from a baby who is understandably crying to a terror? No they are just learning and feeling and of course you need to set boundaries, gently discipline and steer them in the right direction but in my opinion, a two year old mainly needs guidance and understanding. For this reason I do not tend to use the word 'tantrum' I prefer using the word 'moment', example, Ella-Grace is having a 'moment' because that is exactly what is happening. 

Majority of the time Ella-Grace is quite a happy- go lucky, easy going toddler. There are times however, whether that be when she is sleepy, in an unfamiliar environment, out of routine, not feeling well or simply moody (which yes toddlers are allowed to have grumpy days) that she does have her 'moments'. I deal with these by sitting her down and talking to her, asking her what is wrong or removing her from a situation where she is feeling overwhelmed. Not to say this always works and of course I have been that Mum who has had to leave a shop because my child is too upset but you know what future Ella-Grace if you are reading this, please know this was no problem because showing emotion is not something that should be punished and especially not at the mere age of 2. 

Things like hitting (this is not something she does often and when she has it has only been towards me when she is overwhelmed) I of course do not tolerate but I still take the same approach, sit her down and talk to her. Tell her what she did was not nice, ask her if she understands and if she does she will say sorry, hug and move on. No dwelling on the moment, no on going punishment or grudge and definitely no shouting or physical discipline (it would not be okay for her to do that to me or others so why would I treat her that way is the way I see it) and this seems to work for us majority of the time. Not saying I know everything simply sharing what this post is all about, my two year old and how we are raising her/teaching her. 

Ella-Grace loves to help out which is lovely to see! We are teaching her a lot about helping and so she will tidy up her toys when she is done playing, she knows to take her shoes off and put them away when we come in from being outside and loves to help with household chores such as putting on the washing machine, cooking supper or sweeping the floor. She can wipe hands and face and is really coming a long with her manners- please and thank you are used daily. Over all we are very happy with her behaviour but that is not to say we wouldn't be if she suddenly started to 'act out' a bit more, like I said, she is a two year old and still learning about life. I want to help her understand it and encourage her towards the path of 'good' behaviour, that's all any of us can do.  

Likes and Dislikes 



Ella-Grace's personality summed up in three words: Independent, Loving and Playful (Reece said Happy, Cheeky and Loving). Our little firecracker is everything we could of asked for and more. She is feisty at times and I have had comments such as 'diva' maybe because of how strong-willed and confident she is but wrapped up in that independent little girl is also a helpful, caring child who shows so much kindness and positivity towards others. For those who know me well they will not be surprised that my little girl is both sassy and soft at the same time haha! Radiating kindness and confidence at the same time; I could not ask for anything more. 

Ella-Grace loves music! She loves to dance and sing with you but also loves to have an audience. She loves dressing up whether that be with outfits from her dressing up box or picking an outfit from her wardrobe (usually a dress). She LOVES being outside, doing anything from a simple walk to running around the play park. She loves to watch movies and her favourite form of play is probably anything creative; drawing, painting etc. She loves to read stories to us and have them read to her. She loves to visit her friends and family and has a massive interest in make up whenever Mummy or her Auntie has their make up out. Animals amaze her and she thinks they are (in her words) so cute! She loves bath time and could spend hours in it if we let her. She likes baking with Mummy and imaginative play with Daddy.

Now for what she does not like so much... Ella-Grace does not like sitting still unless it is to watch a movie or play a game she is very interested in. She does not like getting a photo taken unless it is on her terms or is being offered a bribe haha. She does not like getting her hair washed although we have moved passed the tears stage. She does not like public bathrooms or hand dryers because they make her nervous. She does not like long journeys because they make her feel sick and although she is very affectionate any affection has to be on her terms- as it should be (Reece and I are working on teaching consent from young age including hugs and kisses, this is a very important lesson in our opinion)! This makes receiving a hug and a kiss from her even more special because she is giving it because she wants to not because she feels she has to. 




Sleeping 

























We really hit the jackpot when it comes to Ella-Grace's sleeping (I can feel the wrath from all the parents who's toddlers do not sleep through the night, I am sorry but I am just being truthful). Ella-Grace really loves her nap time/bed time routine and although of course there are days that nap time may be missed (rarely but it does happen) or it gets to 2am and only Mummy and Daddy's bed will do, but over all she sleeps soundly. 

Her nap time is around 1/half 1 and she usually sleeps till about 3/half 3, maybe even 4! This does give me a much needed break especially being heavily pregnant but at the same time sometimes we miss out on activities or sunny days because she has to nap in the middle of the day but if she needs it then so be it, there is plenty of time for fun and nothing would be any fun is she was over tired. 
As for bed time that is Daddy's territory. Reece works all day and it is very important to him that once he gets home they have time together so it is usually a little play, bath and bed time all done by Daddy. Bed time usually starts at half 7, one or two stories and cuddles in her bed then she is ready to sleep and is out until about 6/7am the next day. Thursdays (when Daddy works late) I treat her to a late bed time so she can say good night to Daddy and we watch a movie in bed together- sometimes she falls asleep and Daddy lifts her through to bed but this is a nice treat for her that she looks forward to. 
When it comes to the normal bed time routine, some days she goes straight to sleep, others she may get up to pee (which is good to know she may be out of night time nappies soon) or she may babble to herself and her teddies until she falls asleep. Pretty easy going and like I said we have been pretty lucky. 
The only trouble we have had is that for a few nights this month Ella-Grace was having some nightmares or night terrors and we were having to take her into our room to settle her. It was so sad to see her in distress, this has seemed to pass now though. 

Potty Training 

I have done a separate blog post on this so I am not going to go into too much detail but potty training is still going smoothly and we are not at the point where Ella-Grace will just tell us when she needs to go. For a while she was nervous telling us when she needed to go 'number 2' but even that she seems to be progressing forward from now and we haven't had a poop accident in a long time. We are confident that soon she will be out of nap time/bed time nappies although we are in no rush for that; it is just good to know that she is slowly making her way too that transition and it will hopefully be smooth.  

Bonding 


When you have a child there is always the worry that you will not bond straight away or even at all. I am fortunate enough to of bonded with Ella-Grace straight away even though her birth was not what I had planned and I did struggle very much with baby blues, our bond has always been solid. Reece took a little longer to bond especially considering he did not get any time off work but it was not long before these two were thick as thieves and Ella-Grace became a major Daddy's girl. 
This bond between us and Ella-Grace has only strengthened over time. She is my best friend and I know Reece thinks the world of her, he is constantly saying she is his favourite person. Every day she wakes us up and wants a group hug haha, the bond between the three of us is unbreakable. Soon we will me making room for a 4th member of this team and I am sure it will take time to adjust and perhaps time to bond, especially between Ella-Grace and her sibling as she is so young but I am confident time will show that the four of us are a great team and the bond will also be unbreakable. After all that is what family is; unconditional love and unbreakable bonds. 


Classes



















As much as I love being in the comfort of my own home, both Ella-Grace and I love to get out the house and try new things. We are both social butterflies you could say and I love to take her to classes where she can learn new things and she can have new experiences, not to say every class is a hit but it is trial and error and over the past two years I have learned what Ella-Grace likes to do and we have found groups/classes that fit. 


We have attended many a toddler group as well as more focused classes such as football, gymnastics, dance, ballet, nursery rhyme and story times, swimming and more. At the moment we are on a bit of a break as my pregnant butt is a bit too pregnant to get out to all the classes but our usual routine is gymnastics once a week, toddler group once a week and (starting soon) ballet once a week- she had her first class recently and adored it! 

I know Reece is hoping to start taking Ella-Grace swimming regularly as he is a very confident swimmer and would like to teach our children himself and also we are looking into perhaps getting Ella-Grace into a play group once a week she can go to independently for an hour or two but that would not be for a few months yet. 

I do think all these classes and socialising opportunities have helped Ella-Grace become the confident little lady she is today. I took her to her first group at 4 weeks old and never looked back. We have made very close friends through groups and classes also, which I am very grateful for. 

Soon to be a Big Sister 


This still has not sunk in and I don't think it will until baby 2 enters the world and Ella-Grace being a big sister becomes reality. I really feels like yesterday she was born but in no time at all she will be the big sister to a little brother or sister and that makes my heart melt. Ella-Grace loves other children and babies, she is such a social child not to mention how caring she is towards her friends so I am sure she will adore her sibling and rise to the role of big sister. We are very lucky that Ella-Grace has not found it hard to adjust to changes in her life so far so I am hoping this will continue and that the transition to being a big sister and sharing the spotlight with her sibling will go just as smoothly. If however she does have a tough time adjusting though that is okay too, it is a big change for all of us, especially the toddler who does not fully understand what is to come. If you were to ask Ella-Grace about Mummy's tummy however she would probably proceed to tell you that "baby in Mummy's tummy" and say she wants to "meet baby" haha. So cute! No time at all now before she will be able to meet him or her. 

Happy Birthday Sweetheart...

My favourite photo of us

As this is Ella-Grace's second birthday post I would like to add a little birthday message for her if she were to read this in the future..

Ella-Grace, Happy Birthday Sweetheart! Daddy and I cannot believe you are two years old already. This has been the best two years of my life so far, you have brought so much happiness and joy into our world and every day we are thankful for you. We could not ask for a better daughter and you truly are my best friend. I hope to do right by you in the future and to be the Mother you need and deserve, I know Daddy wants to do the same. We adore you and wish you all the happiness in the world. No matter what we will love and support you through everything and my dear thank you once again for showing me what life is all about. There are no words for how much you mean to me. We love you so much! Never stop being you. Happy Birthday!


Birthday Party Photos...





(Thank you everyone for reading and following along my journey as a Mother and Ella-Grace's 2 years of life so far. Plenty more posts to come! 
Stay Happy Everyone!) 




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