Now that our youngest is nearing two and a half, it feels like we’ve rounded a major corner in the life of a young family.

Sure, we’re starting to see a little more attitude and the word “no” is becoming much more frequent but in terms of the family dynamic and our ability to do things together – it’s all positive.

It’s pretty amazing to watch him playing with his sisters now. Where he’s been off on his own or wanting to play with us, he’s now (more often than not) fully integrated into their play. It’s pretty cool to watch him following the leader, playing hide and seek and following instructions when they’re playing school or gymnastics lessons. They have dance parties together and he’s as involved in picking the songs as the girls are.

In addition to play, he’s now able to help. When we can convince them to do it, we’ve now got three little hands tidying up the toys or putting shoes away. He loves to clean and is the first to volunteer to wash windows or mop the floor. Of course the quality leaves a little something to be desired but the point is that he’s now interested in being part of that particular family activity.

And speaking of activities, we’re at a place now where we can do so much more together. He can swim with his puddle jumper on, we can bowl, we can go for walks on the beach, he’s great at playgrounds and he’s much easier to shop with than he used to be. He has no interest in a stroller anymore and is happiest when he’s on the go outside – walking, mowing the lawn with his bubble mower and learning to ride his bike.

Vocabulary explodes at this age and because of that, the tender moments just keep getting better and better too. He’s happy to sit and cuddle for a few stories and will ask questions and find things in the illustrations. He can now express how he feels so when he randomly grabs your face and tells you that he loves you, you know it’s coming from an incredibly genuine place. The same thing goes with kisses and hugs – they now come when you’re not expecting them and add an additional bright spot to your day.

All in all, I think two gets a bad rap. Yes, the need for discipline gets amped up as kids exert their independence more frequently, but overall, the amazing things that start happening after two far (far, far, far) outweigh anything “terrible”.

 

Deanna is a Mom of three, wife, marketer and blogger – lover of travel, morning coffee, family time, belly laughs, good friends and uninterrupted showers! Follow her on twitter @DeannaCMiller