Camden - 2.5 yrs

Camden J –

Oh where to begin - You have grown up so much over the past few months. The biggest news – you’ve outgrown your allergies! This has opened up a whole new world of food for you and has made cooking and eating out a lot easier for us. However, it’s still an adjustment… Things I thought you would love, you don’t. For instance, corndogs…you refuse to eat the breading. Pudding, you still prefer soy pudding. And milk…you’ll drink it but only if we bribe you. You still prefer to drink almond or soy milk.

You’ve become so independent over the past couple of months and seem to be enjoying your new room and the new found freedom that comes with it. We moved your trains and some toys in there and now you love to hang out and play in YOUR room. You especially like to do this during naptime. Yep – weekend naps are a struggle now. It appears you have no trouble taking a nap at daycare, but on the weekends you get up and start playing as soon as we close your door. When we open the door to check on you, you drop whatever toy/book is in your hand and run to your bed. One time, we found you “painting” the walls with diaper cream! Most recently, you’ve started emptying your dresser drawers. Every weekend, I have to refold and put your clothes away. I’m going to be getting locks for your drawers soon if you don’t stop.

This past Monday, your Daddy put you down for a nap, heard a noise and found that you managed to open your bedroom door (also new) and you where spraying our room, your room, Ethan’s nursery and the hallway with Downey Spray. You were so proud of yourself too. When I got home, you went around and pointed to everything you sprayed! Cute, but now there is a safety knob on your door so you can’t get out when you’re supposed to be napping!

You’ve also learned how to open the refrigerator door recently. At first, I was very excited about this. You would ask for something to drink and we would tell you to go get your sippy out of the fridge. Now, you’ve realize you can get other things out...not so good. Just please don’t mess with the eggs! I've heard stories about your daddy doing this when he was little!

Swim lessons. You were so excited about swim lessons the first few weeks and really seemed to love the water. Even going under water didn’t seem to bother you too much. However, things changed once your instructor tried to put a noodle around you. You freaked out and tried your hardest to get out of the pool. Daddy tried calming you and you wanted nothing to do with him, the pool or the noodle. After lessons, when I was putting you to bed, I asked you about the noodle and you said, “I scared”. I asked you why and you looked at me like you were trying to figure it out. I then told you Mommy and Daddy would never let anything hurt you. You responded by saying, ”I try again next time”. This was our first really conversation about feelings. I left the room almost in tears. One because I don’t want you to be scared and two because you’re growing up so fast!

It’s big boy potty time! January 17, 2011. That’s the date you first used the “big boy potty”. You sat on your little potty, peed, stood up and said “I did it!”. It was a wonderful moment. Your Daddy and I were jumping up and down and you were so proud. We haven’t really started potty training though. There are days when we ask you if you want to use the potty and you want nothing to do with it. Then there are days when you say okay, sit there, get up without going and say, “I try again later”. We don’t want to pressure you into using the potty just yet. You have so many other changes going on…

Which brings me to this coming week….We’re gearing up for your little brother’s arrival. If he doesn’t come on his own this weekend, I’ve decided to be induced on March 2nd. I’m so excited to see you and your brother together… And I’m anxious to see how your adjust once we bring him home. Tonight before bed, you wanted to read your Big Brother book. Hopefully that’s a good sign.

Daddy and I love you so much, Camden. I hope you never forget or doubt that.

Love,
Mommy

Other things to remember –
1. Your new favorite show is Dinosaur Train.
2. You’ve pretty much given up the need to sleep with Baby Monkey, George and Mickey. Now it’s just Baby Monkey.
3. You’re not too excited about wearing pull-ups. You prefer a diaper.
4. You love using blue markers at daycare. You keep using one that doesn’t come off! I swear it’s not a washable marker even though it says it is!
5. You still love basketball and golf. You love going to the driving range with Daddy.
6. You’re very independent. If we try to help with things you say,” No, I do it”.
7. You still miss your buddy Griswald (we do too). You ask about him every now and then. It breaks my heart when you try to get Winston to play and he doesn’t. Hopefully that will change soon.