Time flies when you have fun! I still remember I said it this year last year when DD turned to be one (see Baby’s growth, month 12). Now she is two. It is really amazing to feel time passing like a flip while I witness the changes time left on DD. I bet a decade later, I will still say the same thing “I cannot believe 10 years passed by”, yet great changes have happened to DD.
Since her one-year birthday when she made her first independent stride, the last one year has been a banner year for DD’s physical development. Now she can run in loops, walk on her tiptoes, avoid obstacles that block her path, sit and stand quickly, and walk upstairs, downstairs, backward and sideways with no problem. And on her two-year birthday, she got the idea of jumping and hopped like an energizer bunny since then.
At month 24, she finally began to accept the training toilet again. This time, I learned the lesson and didn’t push too hard (see Baby’s growth, month 22). Instead I asked her whether she wanted or not. If she wanted to try her potty seat, she would take off her diaper and sat on the potty seat for a few seconds.
Whenever she stopped for a few minutes during play to have a bowel movement, I would ask her the same question. It was up to her to say “yes” or “no”. Even she turned it down most of time, it was ok. The goal at this stage was to help her feel comfortable with sitting on the potty seat.
Still, unlike most 2-year-olds who want to play side-by-side, DD wanted to play with other kids. She was still bit of aggressive when playing with her peers, mostly boys (see Baby’s growth, month 23). She still wanted to hug or kiss other toddlers at her age, which always scared them away (see Baby’s growth, month 18). She still chased big sisters and insisted to be accepted (see Baby’s growth, month 23), which often happened as she wished. Overall, she initiated a social action rather than watching and waiting.
This month M and I read Dr. Seuss’ books to her and she immediately loved them. The first Dr. Seuss’s book I read to her was Green Eggs and Ham
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This month she added “right here” and “over there” (English) into her vocabulary. Occasionally she could combine the phrases with words and created a simple short sentence, like “daddy right here”. Every time when she spoke it loudly, M would pop up swiftly in front of her. He never came so quickly when I called his name!
Developmental Milestones: 2 Year Olds
The following is a checklist from Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, 5th Edition: Birth to Age 5
However, it is important to understand that there is wide variation in terms of what is considered “normal,” driven by a wide variety of genetic, cognitive, physical, family, cultural, nutritional, educational, and environmental factors. Because each child develops at his own particular pace, many children will reach some or most of these milestones earlier or later than the average but still be within the normal range.
Physical milestones
- Walks alone
- Pulls toys behind her while walking
- Carries large toy or several toys while walking
- Begins to run
- Stands on tiptoe
- Kicks a ball
- Climbs onto and down from furniture unassisted
- Walks up and down stairs holding on to support
Milestones in hand and finger skills
- Scribbles spontaneously
- Turns over container to pour out contents
- Builds tower of four blocks or more
- Might use one hand more frequently than the other
Language milestones
- Points to object or picture when it’s named for him
- Recognizes names of familiar people, objects, and body parts
- Says several single words (by fifteen to eighteen months)
- Uses simple phrases (by eighteen to twenty-four months)
- Uses two- to four-word sentences
- Follows simple instructions
- Repeats words overheard in conversation
Cognitive milestones
- Finds objects even when hidden under two or three covers
- Begins to sort by shapes and colors
- Begins make-believe play
Social and emotional milestones
- Imitates behavior of others, especially adults and older children
- Increasingly aware of herself as separate from others
- Increasingly enthusiastic about company of other children
- Demonstrates increasing independence
- Begins to show defiant behavior
- Increasing episodes of separation anxiety toward midyear, then they fade
Miss No-no can say yes!
At her age, DD was acting like a toddler: egocentric, demanding and strong-willed. “No” was one of her favorite words. She was truly a professional “no-speaker” that she could pronounce “no” in a clear and confirmed way (see Baby’s growth, month 23). One day, when I asked her something, she answered “nope”. Another way to say “no”? Where did she get that pronunciation from?
But, even Miss No-no knew the time to say yes.
When I asked her “do you want to watch TV for a little while?”, she happily gave me a clear and confirmed “yea”, no question about it.
When M asked her whether she wanted ice-cream or chocolate milk, she held up two arms and cheered as loudly as she could, “YEA!”
Most time, we respected her answer as “no” as she said it. When we couldn’t take “no” as an answer, we had a negotiation.
Sometimes, the bargain went like this:
“DD, you need a diaper change. Let’s go upstairs and have a diaper change.” I said.
“NO!”
“Your diaper is socking wet. It hurt your skin. You need a diaper change.”
“NO!”
“Well, if you climb onto your change table and let mommy change your diaper, you can watch TV for 10 minutes.”
She was thinking. I could tell the wheels running in her mind。
Without saying anything, she climbed onto her changing table and lied down. She still did it reluctantly, but at least she was moving. That was her way to comprise and say “yes”.
Another time, it was a peace talk.
One night, she angered M by deliberately scratching his face with her sharp finger nails. By her bed time, M didn’t come to her room and kiss her goodbye.
When M was brushing teeth and was about to go to bed, he sensed something sad from DD. He opened her door and found out she was sobbing on her bed. M immediately melted down. He knelt down and sat close to her bed, patting her and comforting her.
Then two of them went to the big bed and lied down side by side. DD kept hugging and kissing M, as her way to say “yes, I am sorry”.
Are you color-blind?
One day, I asked DD in Chinese, “Can you give me the red ball?
She gave me a blue ball.
“Which ball is yellow?” I was curious.
She pointed to a green ball, smiling at me.
“Are you color-blind?” I began to wonder. Later I tested her in different situations. I asked her to show me the green chair, put the yellow ball onto the matching yellow chair, and throw to me the blue ball.
She failed in all tests.
Are you color-blind? I began to question her ability to differentiate colors seriously.
M was confident that DD was not color-blind. “It was more likely that she hasn’t learned the colors yet.” He said.
“Color-blindness is usually passed on from mother to son. Girls are rarely color-blind.” Grandma consoled me.
I began to invest time and effort into her color education.
I started by pointing out reds, blues, greens, blacks, and yellows in toy, clothing, crayons, cars and other objects around her. I also showed her the subtler shades—pink, brown, orange, and purple.
So, when we played together, instead of saying “give mommy the ball”, I said “give mommy the RED ball.” When we went to the grocery store, instead of saying “this is a banana”, I said “this is a yellow banana”. I talked in Chinese and M did in English.
I also borrowed a wonderful book I Like Colors
I Like Colors is a read & sing along board book with CD. It features bright, colorful photographs, repetitive rhyming words, and charming music. Plus, additional 12 bonus songs reinforce early literacy skills. DD was captivated by the tune and playful sound effects. This fun book includes a CD storage compartment in the back cover, making it easy to carry for home or while traveling!
Slowly and gradually, I noticed DD could pick up the ball with exactly the right color. She succeeded the tests in different situations when asked in either Chinese or English. I was relieved to find out she is not color-blind!
Easy-going second birthday partyThe same as last year, we held a small-scale easy-going birthday party for DD (see Baby’s growth, month 12). We invited Grandma and Grandpa, our neighbors, my friend Karen and her son. Grandma brought some appetizers. The difference was, this year we went to a local grocery store and bought a birthday cake for DD.
Party stared at 4:00 pm after her daily nap. The same as last year, people sat around the table, having snacks and visiting each other. This year, DD was running everywhere and yelling as loudly as she could.
She tore off the packaging paper of her gifts before everybody showed up. And she spread the colorful filling paper all over the place. She climbed up and down the couch, she played peek-a-boo with Grandpa and Grandma, and she chased Karen’s teenage son with laughing and giggling. She was the showcase of the party and the center of the attention.
Around 6:00 pm, we took the cake out. DD sat on her highchair and blew out the candle on her cake. The cake was fresh, soft and moist. Everybody enjoyed a small piece, including DD. She finished her piece as clean as anybody else.
We didn’t spend much time or money preparing and hosting this party. It was exactly the kind of party I had in my mind: small, simple, sensible and short. All the guests were made up primarily of adults DD knows. She was relaxed and happy. So were we.
Related posts:
Baby’s growth, month 23
Baby’s growth, month 22
Baby’s growth, month 21
Baby’s growth, month 20
Baby’s growth, month 19
Baby’s growth, month 18
Baby’s growth, month 17
Baby’s growth, month 16
Baby’s growth, month 15
Baby’s growth, month 14
Baby’s growth, month 13
Baby’s growth, month 12
Baby’s growth, month 11
Baby’s growth, month 10
Baby’s growth, month 9
Baby’s growth, month 8
Baby’s growth, month 7
Baby’s growth, month 6
Baby’s growth, month 5
Baby’s growth, month 4
Baby’s growth, month 3
Baby’s growth, month 2
Baby’s growth, month 1
Baby's Growth, From Lina, Third Year | Lina | 
July 2, 2010 7:18 pm | 
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