2.5

This is overdue by less than a week (Harper was 2 1/2 on Sunday) so I feel like I am on top of things! Also, I have had so many blog postings going on in my head but when I get a few minutes to sit and write them I just never feel like I have enough time to devote to what I want to say. So be on the lookout for more soon (hopefully).

2 1/2 is a milestone age for sure, but it is not like when Harper was younger and she made such huge, obvious changes every month (or week sometimes). The changes are much more subtle, at least to Jason and I who see her every day. We sit at the table at dinner sometimes and just stare at her with our mouths open, shocked at how grown-up she is and wondering when that happened! I love our family dinners, though, and appreciate the time that all three of us (4 if you count Toby sitting under Harper's chair begging) have together just to talk. So, here goes Harper 2.5:
The biggest, most obvious development is...HAPER IS TOTALLY POTTY TRAINED!!! She had one accident yesterday, but it was the first one in 2+ weeks, and was sort of due to circumstances beyond her control. She is on spring break this week and I had planned to use this time to put her through 'potty training bootcamp' but I ended up not needing to because thanks to peer pressure she got potty trained at school! All of her friends would go potty and Harper desired so much to go with them and be a 'big girl'. It really didn't take that long to happen either, it just...sort of happened. We were consistent about only big girl panties at home and they did that at school, too, and before I knew it- ta da! So yeah, no more diapers (except at nap and night). I am so proud of Harper but it is a sad moment because the diapers are really the last reminder of 'baby' left.
Another big change between 2 and 2 1/2 is this phrase we hear a LOT now: "I want to do it...by....myself!". Which I love and hate at the same time. The fact that Harper is independent makes me happy (and reminds me of myself!) but sometimes she does not need to do whatever it is by herself because of safety, timing, etc.
Harper also has really begun to develop her pretend play/imagination skills. She LOVES to read (well, be read to) and I think this has helped. I can't stress enough the importance of reading to your kids, no matter how young they are. Anyway, no soap box, back to Harper. She pretends mostly with her stuffed animals and acts out things she has recently experienced. Sometimes she just pretends with herself (i.e. she just woke up and told me I was the mommy kitty and she was the baby kitty). Sometimes she pretends things are other things (the sash on my bathrobe becomes a rope that helps her climb up the mountain which is our bed!)

It is so neat to see this begin to develop in her and I can't wait for lots more fun playtime!

Her appetite is still ferocious most days. She still loves pasta, fruit, and cheese best of all. She has a sophisticated palate for a two year old and also likes pheasant, amberjack, tofu, and risotto. Now that she's awake I need to get to it. I can't believe this sweet, funny, silly girl is already 2 1/2!

Blowing dandelions in the yard (you're welcome neighbors!)

Playing outside on a spring day!

Pretending to read to Pink Bear.

*Two more things! Harper LOVES cooking..actual cooking (she loves to help me or her Grandmother) and she has also started really getting into singing. She tries hard to learn the words and sing along to just about anything...which means we have to be really careful about what she listens to! Her favorite songs right now come from a cd of kids worship songs that the church gave out a year ago. She likes the "silly" song the best!