Two-year-olds get a bad rap in today's society. Most people have heard of "the terrible twos." And when someone asks how old your toddler is, and you say, "He's two..." they react with a sympathetic nod and a knowing smile. Yes they can be feisty, sassy, and crabby at times, but there is so much more to a 2-year-old than what you might imagine. So if you're a new mom dreading the "terrible twos," going through them right now, or just want to reminisce about when your child was two, here are 10 great things to love about 2-year-olds.
1. The "I-love-you"s -- Around 2 years old, you'll probably hear the first unprompted "Wuv you!" from your toddler.
2. The random hugs and kisses -- My daughter first started randomly running up to me or my husband and giving us hugs and kisses when she was 2.
3. The spontaneity -- One moment my 2-year-old is sitting on my lap and reading a book, the next she's off my lap and has pulled me up to stand and we're dancing together. One minute she's running around the room doing karate kicks and another she's calmly pouring me a cup of pretend coffee. Two-year-olds are unpredictable, but that makes them fun!
4. The way only you can understand the majority of what they say -- At 2, your toddler will probably have lots to say. But in many cases, just you and any other primary caregivers will be able to understand her! It's like you two have your own secret language or something.
5. Watching how smart they're getting -- Now that your child can talk, he'll surprise you with the things he knows! My daughter always talks about how food goes "down my tummy."
6. The funny things they come up with -- You don't get this as much with 1-year-olds! Two-year-olds come up with such funny thoughts. My daughter once asked where mosquito bites come from. Not wanting to get into too much detail, I simply said that a mosquito sits on you and you can get a mosquito bite. My daughter then asked, "On a 'squito bite chair?"
7. Their vivid imaginations -- Around 2 years old your toddler's imagination starts blooming, and it only gets bigger and more creative as she gets older.
8. They learn new words all the time -- Seemingly every other day your 2-year-old will surprise you with new words he's learned!
9. The funny language mistakes they make -- At the same time as their language is improving each day, 2-year-olds have lots of funny mistakes they make when talking. My daughter always gets confused between magnets and magazines, for example, and uses the two words interchangeably. Your child may also mangle words in funny ways, or use funny sentence structure.
10. They're independent, yet still need to be babied sometimes -- It's the best of both worlds! You get your alone time and cuddle time as well. Your child is old enough to be expected to play by herself for a while, yet still comes to you for comfort hugs and make-it-all-better-kisses.
I love my 2-year-old!
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