Terrible or Terrific TWOs

Sure, he tests his limits (and my patience), challenges my requests, is learning to manipulate, and is perfecting the art of procrastination. But he is also so sincerely sweet, giggly, open minded, full of energy, and so eager to learn. He is a little parrot, always listening and repeating what you say. He has an imagination so unique that is growing immensely. 

People always talk about the terrible twos. Well they may have some terrible moments (and I say that with a grain of salt) but they are pretty terrific too. 

Here are some moments (or even habits) that are well worth remembering. 

Terrible

"Please, please, please, PLEASE"

We always request that Jackson says please when he is asking for something he wants. He has now started using it (in a desperate tone repeatedly) when we are asking him to do something and he wants to be doing something else. For example when he is playing and I need him to come put his shoes on. 

Terrific
Driving in the car with my dad, Jackson and I told him about a new park by the splash pad they should go to.
My dad: "Sure Jackson, you can take me to the splash pad park."
Jackson: "Yeah, I take you there."
....pause...
"But you drive Grandpa, I can't drive."
"You sit in the drivers seat."

Can go both ways (often at the same time)... :)
"I do it myself!"
He still asks "carry me?" but our little boy is growing in his independence. We almost always let him try to do it himself but its often a battle, one vs time or safety. 

He is a parrot! He will repeat almost everything you say. Sometimes it is in an inquisitive way, wondering what you said meant, trying it out for himself. You can clearly sense the questioning behind his repeat if he wants you to define it. Other times he repeats you because you said something out of excitement or other emotion that usually prompted a reaction, one that you expressed personally or that others did. 

We went to our garden a week ago and there was a red tomato ready to pick. We let Jackson do it. He was all excited and eagerly struggled to pick it. We kept talking to him about the color, it was red meaning ripe not green meaning still needed to grow. Colors are something we are still working on with Jackson, he's getting better but not there yet. A few minutes later my dad and I looked up from weeding when we heard "Look, I picked another tomato!" He was so excited and proud, holding the small green tomato up for us to see. He truly thought he was helping. I quickly talked to him about the color of the tomato and said we can watch this one get red on our counter at home. 

Imagination. His has certainly grown. He dreams up animals shaped out of his food or the clouds in the sky. Often you catch him talking about something random to someone that we don't see or to just himself narrating an adventure. Sometimes when he is lost in his thoughts, mid story, deep in fantasy, it is hard to pry him away. He gets upset quick and fights you to stay in his imagination a little longer. 

"Just a second...In a minute...I'll be right back. Ok, mom?"
When he wants to do something (or not want to do something else) he asks, often assuming the answer before you give it. A lot of times he is sincere, asking permission, not sure if its ok. Other times it is a form of procrastination. Some times it ties in with his imagination. For example one time he just had to vacuum. "Just a second, I have to do something" as he was taking out his vacuum. I let him finish and ok he was content and ready to go when he was done. 

I would have to say, two is a pretty great age.