Almost 3!

With these girls approaching 3, time seems to be going by faster and faster and they are growing up more every day. They are becoming kids and not toddlers anymore.  I am finding myself having real conversations with them and no longer talk to them like they are my babies:(  

Both girls love to dance and "shake their booty."  They are in ballet, which they LOVE!  They play together really well, for the most part, and their imginations are growing all the time.  They love to play "mommy and baby" and will take turns with each role and will pretend to cry and feed each other.  I over heard them the other night talking to each other during this game and this is how it went "you need to go pee pee Ellie? Yes? Okay go in the potty.... Did you go? Okay, good job Ellie, you get two jelly beans!"  They are very supportive of one another and are constantly building each other up and complimenting one another.  I am always hearing them say "good job Molly/Ellie..." Or "it's okay sweetie, are you okay?"   As of this month, they are finally potty trained (yay!)  Molly has willingly walked into this and doesn't need or expect rewards for her success. Meanwhile, we have learned that Ellie will do just about anything for jelly beans or candy!  My sweet toothed child is also in a "honey" phase and will eat anything as long as it has honey on it!  I guess there are worse things out there that it could have been!  They also like tic tacs right now, which Ellie calls them her "chip chaps."  

They moved into "big girl beds" in the beginning of the year.  I started out with their beds apart, but as of a few weeks ago, Ellie was falljng asleep in Molly's bed every night.  So, I put the beds together to make one big one and now they sleep by each other every night, which is so sweet:)

I would describe this "almost 3" phase as the calm before and after the storm.  For me, 2-2 1/2 was the most challenging age.  We spent a lot of time with tantrums and time outs, and fortunately those two things have been decreasing and they are playing pleasantly together instead of fighting.  I'm holding out because from everything I hear, it's about to get worse!