Charlie is 2 years old!

I can't believe our big boy is 2 already!

 

 

 

Things Charlie loves: 

• Trucks, particularly dump trucks, garbage trucks and Daddy's truck
• The Bugs episode of Yo Gabba Gabba
• Building with blocks
• Cody
• His golf clubs and drill
• Climbing
• Books of all kinds. Some favorites are all of his Bible story books, Fox in Socks, Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site and Go Dogs Go!

 

Charlie is just starting to speak in 2-3 word sentences in the last few weeks, although many of them still require interpretation. He clearly knows what he wants to convey, but isn't always able to convey it. He is clearly all boy, and can make noises to go along with just about anything, but words are a little slower to come. 

 

Speaking of noises, Charlie can hear an airplane (or helicopter) in the sky and call it out before any of us. Same goes for any kind of truck on the street - which in a neighborhood that is still under construction, is quite often. Based on hearing alone, any diesel truck is Daddy's truck, but visually he can identify all sorts of trucks. 

 

Charlie loves all things outside including walks, his trike, and riding in BOB for family walks or runs with Daddy. Charlie also continues to amaze me with his directional ability. Whether in the car or walking, he'll let me know when we get remotely close to wherever we are going - and he's always right! (The downfall to this is when we are headed the same direction as one of our regular haunts, but actually going somewhere else.)

 

Charlie is still a great sleeper, and takes 2-3 hour afternoon naps most days and sleeps for 10-11 hours at night. He goes to bed around 8:30 and generally wakes up around 7:30, give or take. He has a bookshelf next to his bed and typically reads and plays in bed for 30-45 minutes before it's time to get up in the morning and a little while after naps. I have learned that he needs the downtime - if I get him up without his quiet time, he is typically one cranky little dude. 

 

Charlie's favorite foods include milk, cheese, yogurt, applesauce, black beans, olives, fruit of any kind. He also prefers food with flavor over "boring" food. For example, give him Pad Thai, curry or Lebanese food over chicken nuggets any day. He also recently discovered a love of dips, and it doesn't matter what the dip variety is. He loves plain kefir and plain yogurt, and will down as much of either of those as I will let him - including drinking 8+ ounces of plain kefir, which even Charles won't do. He also loves spicier foods than I do, and has eaten an entire packet of Taco Bell mild sauce (it's a dip, like Daddy's!) and flaming hot Cheetos. 

 

While I may be a little biased, Charlie does have a great personality. He has a happy temperament, focuses intently on projects, and certainly inherited a strong opinion from one (or both) of his parents. He continues to be Mr. Social and loves to play with his friends and be the center of attention. Charlie is still a bit of a frady-cat, although he is selective (and unpredictable) in the things he is afraid of. I have given up trying to figure it out and just roll with it. And one of the church nursery workers summed it up for me the other day, "He is quite the character." 

 

UPDATED: Charlie's 2 year stats: 25 lbs, 15 oz (up to 22nd percentile!) and exactly 3 feet tall (86th percentile). "They" say that doubling height at two years is a fairly reliable predictor of adult height. That would put Charlie at exactly 6 ft, which seems reasonable based on our height. 

We did switch to a new pediatrician that I love, so while I am quite curious, I don't have the anxiety that I did with our old pediatrician. I also love that the office suggested combining the boys' 2 year and 4 month appointments so we didn't have to make two trips in in two weeks!