Somehow in the last month it seems my little one-year-old has suddenly become “almost two”. It feels like overnight! Instead of just grunting, pointing, whining, and tantruming she has begun to use her words and signs, as well as to cleverly figure out her own solutions. Instead of just tearing up whatever she sees, she chooses her activities selectively. When she spills, she goes and gets a cloth to wipe it up. She puts her toys or other messes away when I ask. (I’m under no impression that this will always be the case!). She says ” sorry” after hitting or hurting people or animals. She says please, and even thank you sometimes. She puts clothes on and off, zips and unzips her coat, asks for her hat and puts on her own boots. For breakfast she sits at the table and eats cereal with a spoon. From wild monkey to civilized human, she has come a long way!
I’m glad I chose to put her in school (daycare at a preschool and early childhood development center) at 18 months. She could not sit still at a table and do an activity, and now she goes right to her little table and sits and waits to participate in breakfast, painting, story, whatever it is. And, unbelievably, she took an hour nap at her first full day yesterday, on a cot surrounded by toys and other kids. These daycare teachers are amazing!
Now she is regularly telling me when she has to poop, taking off her wet or soiled diapers herself, and requesting to sit on the potty, after which she wipes and flushes. Nothing has come out while she’s on the potty yet, but she’s definitely onto the idea. She loves the Potty book, and gets excited when the baby goes in the potty and gets undies as an award. She never wakes up dry yet, but I may ask the teachers at school to let her sit on the potty there as well. They are small toilets and seeing the other toddler girls using them might move her further along.
I’m getting excited about planning her next birthday party which will be bug themed (no not just lady bugs or butterflies, but all kinds of bugs!). I will invite my former foster son Moose, and all of M’s siblings and cousins, but I’m doubtful they’ll show. If not, we will just have fun with everyone else! And after she’s two, we will reattempt gymnastics class more locally, like at the Y.
I don’t think age 16 to 21 months will be my favorite stage. The inability to communicate big wants and feelings just made for a lot of frustration for everyone… But things are getting fun again.
Mother of All Things 
I love reading your blog. Your little girl is just ahead of Dex, so it give me a look into the future! Haha. School (daycare – though like yours, our daycare IS more school than just watching him) has made such a huge difference!! Dex is consistently signing, can sit at a little table for 5-10 min and eat/paint/whatever (anything after that and he is done!), and he puts his cup in the sink after meals, climbs the stairs to wash his hands, and helps wipe down the tables. it is so amazing what a 12 months old can do???? I can’t wait to see what the future holds!