I was thinking about how different the daily routine is with my almost 3 year old as compared to my 6 month old and realized something. Even though the little booger's a handful and I (sometimes) want to pull my hair out, in ways it's easier than having a baby. So I thought I would narrow it down to the top ten, in no particular order.
10. I can hand her a sandwich or a bowl of cereal and she eats it. By herself. This means I can actually eat breakfast every morning when I get up instead of 90 minutes later.
9. Not a big deal if I have to leave the room for a minute to grab a coke or make a pit stop...she's usually right where I left her, playing quietly when I get back.
8. She can completely dress herself. I can put an entire outfit (socks, underwear, and shoes included) on the sofa and start getting ready and by the time I get my mascara on, she's fully dressed and in the bathroom watching me finish getting ready.
7. Interest in potty training. Nuff said.
6. Someone to converse with. Now that my oldest has amassed an impressive vocabulary, we can have actual conversations. They may be on the two year old's level of interest, but there are some days where the convo is a little abstract, and I love it.
5. I can get her input on what to cook for dinner. It might seem ridiculous at first, but how much easier is it to deal with supper time when the child is calm, happy, and eager to eat what you've cooked? Fortunately, she'll eat a lot of things most kids wouldn't, so it's not really a compromise to cook what she wants. Of course this isn't everyday, but it actually helps me and Drew on those days we can't figure out what to eat.
4. As she gets closer to 3, she's starting to understand moreso the concept of having to stay in the buggy at the store, or not run off when I get her out of the carseat. Being able to tell her where to go or not go and she does it (about 3/4 of the time) has made life so much easier. Now I can take both kids to the store by myself, because the oldest will actually ride in the buggy with the baby and let me get the shopping done.
3. Llama, Llama, Mad at Mama. Chloe's favorite book right now, for good reason. It's about a little toddler llama that doesn't want to go to the store but Mama Llama eventually makes it better. Really cute, and something she likes for me to read to her. Getting to bond over books with my child is something I love.
2. Getting to see the gears turn in her head when she learns how to do something new. It's absolutely fascinating watching the way she comes to conclusions when we're talking and seeing exactly what her little brain is capable of. It blows my mind, the things she's capable of understanding that we say.
1. She can tell me how she feels. If she physically doesn't feel good, she can tell me what's wrong and we can fix it more quickly. Also, when she's upset and starting the meltdown, sometimes I can get her to calm down enough to tell me in her best way why she's upset. Most times it's something simple like wanting to wear a different pair of shoes or drink out of a different sippy, but it still makes life easier.
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