Off to a busy start...

2011 has already been a busy year.  Sydney has helped to celebrate a number of birthdays, and this weekend she got to help celebrate Ya-Ya's birthday, as well as Grandpa Tom's birthday.  Aside from those celebrations, she is also back to her swimming class routine, which gives her ample chance to use her fully-functional gills.

In other areas, Sydney has been speaking more than ever, and has become much better at putting sentences together.  While her comprehension is certainly growing daily, she also does a lot of mimicking.  Whenever something is said, she'll parrot it right back...whether she knows what she's saying or not.  Amazingly, she enunciates with great accuracy.  But since she does understand most of what is usually said, we've had to rely on using the old 'parent code talk' (the act of spelling things out in front of her) when we don't want her to know what we are discussing.  I'm sure we'll only benefit from that for a short period of time. 

In a similar area, she has really enjoyed her new singing activities.  Notice I said activities and not abilities or talent...she gets that from her mama!  But she likes it, and one of the benefits of being two is that you can be completely off key and it's still adorable.  Once you get older it just annoys other people :)  But, she has got some of those old favorites down, like Twinkle Twinkle...Jingle Bells...and 'N Da Club' by Fifty-Cent.

Updated Specs:  Sydney recently went into the doctors for her two year appointment.  Her height and weight measurements are right around the 50th percentile for both...which is just another way of saying she right on average for height and weight.  Not to say the child can't eat like a horse...in fact she does and we are often wondering which leg is hollow...but she is also very active, so she quickly burns off whatever she consumes.  Ah, to be young and have a great metabolism!

Tip: Dealing with Tantrums


A favorite old picture...I just had to share!



In the event your child throws a tantrum while in the grocery store, don't dismay.  Initially, it will likely frustrate you, draw a lot of attention, and possibly hurt your hearing.  But, a simple solution is to take your screaming child to the customer services desk and instruct them that you found a child separated from her parents.  Then, continue shopping at your leisure, check out, and then take your groceries to your car.  While at your car, change your outfit so that you look different than the person who turned in the child.  By this time, your child's tantrum will have likely subsided and your stress level will have returned to normal.  You can then go to customer service and claim your 'much-more composed' two-year old...truly a win win scenario!