Your baby, 23 months 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 and older

As a parent, it is your responsibility to develop and build your toddler's self-esteem. Don't wait until your child is older to help him learn how special he is-start now if you have not already. Because everyone likes to be praised and acknoledged for a job well done, show your child will hugs, smiles and words of praise when he has done something well. Always try to focus on the positive and avoid negative feedback, when possible. Instead of telling your toddler what not to do, explain the correct method. Good communication skills will help your child's self esteem, confidence and relationships with others. Use kind words to get good results and build your child up. Smiles and happy facial expressions can also go a long ways towards developing your toddler's self-esteem.

Your toddler is very curious about the world around him! Listen to what your child has to say and always answer her questions. Toddlers often ask why the sky is blue or how to fix a broken toy. Most often, they do not understand how things work and we have to show them. Some toddlers will ask questions just to keep a conversation going. Your child might be able to respond to simple questions regarding their name, age, siblings names and colors, shapes and names of objects.

Children this age are more active than they have been and can actually begin to pedal tricycles. Remember to always provide a helmet to protect your child's head from falls. Your toddler can also throw a ball into a wastebasket or small hoop. Remember to give your child a variety of toys that encourage different types of development.

With the second birthday quickly approaching, you might notice that your child is ready to be toilet trained. Girls are often ready to train around two years old and most boys are ready around two and half. Do not rush toilet training and follow your child's lead. When you think that your child is ready to begin toilet training, make sure he knows the correct words. He needs to understand when he peed or urianted and pooped or had a bowel movement. Decide which words your family will use to describe these bodily functions. Make it easy for your child to toilet train by dressing him in loose-fitting clothes that are fast and easy to get down. Children often wait until the last minute to use the restroom and this will make it easier for him. Remember to praise your child when he uses the bathroom, but do not scold or punish for accidents or when he does not use the toilet. Encourage your toddler to sit on the toilet for a few seconds or minutes if they will, but it is best not to insist that your child sit on the toilet until he actually uses it because your child will soon become frustrated with sitting there.

Developmental Milestones - 23 Months Old

Physical

• Loves to climb
• Jumps well
• Runs well
• Can pedal a small tricycle
• Can throw a ball into a wastebasket

Intellectual

• Tries to ask questions during conversations
• Can answer simple questions
• Can put together a 4-6 piece puzzle
• Likes to read and turn pages

Emotional

• Likes to be with other children
• Does not share well
• Afraid of disapproval and rejection
• Interested in babies
• Likes to cuddle

Age Appropriate Toys

• Sand and water play
• Climbing toys
• Ride on toys
• Pretend play
• Dolls or stuffed animals
• Books
• Balls
• Alphabet toys
• Stringing beads
• Dolls
• Cars/trucks
• Dress up clothe

Comments:

Comments 1-25 of about 5328 for month 23
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morrisoncara - Tuesday, 14 Feb
Hi all...my son will be 2 in 1 month and has become very interested int eh potty. I watch my nephew during the week so he watches him go potty and asks to sit on the potty a few times a day. Today he asked to go to the potty and actually peed! I am wondering when I should really start potty training with him? I feel like he is too young, but then again he seems to really want to go in it. I just dont know if he really understands it?? HELP!! TIA

gretch - Wednesday, 1 Feb
Oh, Karen thanks for the laugh! The healing process on Rory was smooth sailing. Vaseline and gauze so nothing would stick to the diaper. Srapes on his knee take longer to heal.

gretch - Wednesday, 1 Feb
I have a little boy and circumcised him for the uniformity and ease of care factor. My husband's first son was not circumsised and there are no regrets for either decision on both boys. The older son is now 23 and has expressed no wishes that he was circumsized and had no issues growing up with infections. There was more care to be given to him when he was younger. I lived in Europe for many years and most circumcions are not the default choice. But with Rory, we decided it would be easier for all and he would look like Dad.

luv2bamama - Wednesday, 1 Feb
Oh yeah, I guess it is time to jump months too; see you in the next month!

luv2bamama - Wednesday, 1 Feb
On a different note, Daddy finally broke down and decided that our little girl could have her first haircut! He noticed she had split ends, which was apparently not acceptable to him. OMG, it is the CUTEST little bob! She looks like a kid and not my baby any more!

luv2bamama - Wednesday, 1 Feb
Karen; thank you for your honesty and your book! I think it was great for you to turn over the decision to your hubby. I am willing to bend on my opinion, but like you, I just want my husband to be educated on the matter. His response when I question “why” is “cauz that’s just what you do”. He has never given it any thought, and all I want is for him to be educated. You hear horror stories either way. My friend’s son had to have a second circumcision when he was about 4 because they didn’t take enough the first time and the skin started attaching to the head and wouldn’t properly retract. I think in the end, it will be his call, but I just want him to know the pros/cons. It makes me feel better knowing that the healing process wasn’t too bad. After Colleen was born (eek, 2 years ago on the 13th) she got a diaper rash that bled and wouldn’t clear up for almost 3 weeks and it broke my heart…to think that a little boy might take up to 10 days to heal made me cringe! We have time, and we will figure it out I’m sure. Crossing my fingers for another girl just to avoid the issue!

lillhill79 - Wednesday, 1 Feb
LOL, Karen, thanks for the giggle this morning.

jwalden - Tuesday, 31 Jan
Karen that cracked me up. Very true point.

karen (lb71) - Tuesday, 31 Jan
Ha, just remembered something DH said to me when our SIL said that leaving the foreskin intact heightens the intensity of sex -- DH said, 'I've never known a guy who said, gee, I wish i could cum even faster.'

karen (lb71) - Tuesday, 31 Jan
luv - I'm so sorry you're getting battered over this. I know the feeling, as I asked all the questions too, when I was pg. DH & I were split - him pro, me con. We talked about it a great deal. He felt that DS should look like him; and that it's cleaner - less chance of infection later. I felt babies are born perfect and we shouldn't pretend they aren't. However, early in my pg, I told DH that since I didn't have the same parts, I felt that DH's opinion should carry more weight than mine, and that I wanted him to do more research while I was pg, but I would support whatever he decided. We ended up getting him circ'ed, and tbh, it really sucked for me - DH was at home in bed, and I was in the hospital with DS when the pediatrician came in and asked me to sign the consent form, so I had to sign it for DH. A little later, I decided to walk down to the nursery to peek in on him, and got there just in time to see him naked before the nurse diapered him. He wasn't crying, but it hurt my heart to see him bleeding. DH didn't have to see that, which tbh made me pretty angry; it was a good thing that he didn't show up for a couple more hours, and I had time to calm down first. Anyway, care for it afterwards was easy enough - squeeze some vaseline onto the whole penis (so that it's covered) before putting the diaper over. I think it took a week to heal up, and if never looked as bad as that first morning, so I didn't have any trouble getting through that part. It did heal, beautifully and perfectly. I still struggle with the fact that we had it done to him, and esp that I was the one to sign the consent form, but even so, I am glad that it is done because... well, for DH's reasons - he looks like his dad, and he has less chance of infection. Not that the infection risk is great in an intact boy, but it is higher. my OB at the time told me that she once had a 10yo boy come in for a circumcision because he had a horrific infection; and another friend told me that her grandfather had to be circ'ed in his 80s b/c of the same thing. The older you are, the more painful it gets; for the grandfather, it was torture and he spent a week on serious pain meds. So all that to say... idk if we did the right thing or not. I don't think there is one right answer; it depends on your personal beliefs. Lots of people say don't do it now and he can always get it done later, but to me that's first off copping out - it's not making a decision at all, because if the decision were to have him intact, then you wouldn't be talking about changing that later - the story would be that you'd explain to him when he asked why you had made that decision and why you still felt it was the right one. Also, it's much more painful the older he is, so imo it's kind of cruel to say he can always do it later. I felt like this was the first really hard decision of our parenting experience, and we owed it to our son to make a decision. And it was the first big concession I made to DH in our parenting experience, and I did that first out of respect for him having the same equipment, but also because he very rarely pushes me to accept an opinion that opposes mine, so I felt like since he was doing that in this case, it really mattered to him, and I owed him the respect of honoring how he felt about it. OK, this is a giant novel. Ah well, I'm sure you know by now to expect that from me. Well - I'm no help in making a choice, but those are my thoughts here & there, and that's where we ended up. GL... trust your own heart... nobody else can tell you what's right for your family.

jwalden - Tuesday, 31 Jan
Luv- of course I had to go research to find out what the problem was and I can't believe how much people get so upset about the situation. Jack is circumsised and we knew from the start. Our decision had to do with the fact that my Husband is and most men in our families are and we wanted there to be uniformity. Also, and this is just my opinion, but I think they look weird otherwise. We had to do Jack's when he was about 10 days old because the pediatrician on staff would not perform one in the hospital. In the long run its what ever you feel as its your baby but I would suggest that if you do do it- do it sooner than later. Good luck either way.

luv2bamama - Tuesday, 31 Jan
Woops, I accidently started a heated debate when I was in week 18 and am now being told I should be “slapped” for asking a question about circumcision. People have been ranting and posting the most absurd comments for almost 2 weeks! Apparently I’ve gotten too use to talking with you ladies that I forget that some people aren’t as open minded. Karen—I think you’re the only one with a little boy; do you have any thoughts one way or another? If you are offended, I’m sorry and don’t feel obligated to respond. If our little one turns out to be a boy, my husband and I are split on the decision, and I just want more education on the matter (and apparently week 18 was NOT the place to go!)

lillhill79 - Monday, 30 Jan
2 mre days till my 'baby' turns 2, ahhh!

luv2bamama - Thursday, 26 Jan
Oh Lil; that is hysterical, ok, probably not for the family, but for those of us on the outside, I’m cracking up! In the movies you always see the woman’s water breaking and then followed by hours of screaming. I’m like your friend, my water didn’t break until I was 10 cm dialated and ready to push. We will see what happens with this one in a few months. Thank goodness I live 2 miles from the hospital; and apparently we will not be taking the new car either!

lillhill79 - Wednesday, 25 Jan
So a good friend of mine has a DD the same age as our little ones and she was due next week to have a little boy. Well, Monday night during dinner her water broke, no big deal. They called Grandma to come stay with DD so they could think about going to the hospital. Well, they ran out of time - little Briggs was born in the car on the way to the hospital. Only 23 minutes from her water breaking till he came out. And the bad part was she had just gotten a brand new car 2 weeks ago. It was funny to hear her saying that it better be cleaned up before they go home. LOL.

gretch - Tuesday, 24 Jan
I am getting Rory and broom and mop anda shovel and a rake. He loves to help. That's it. Swinging around the adult size stuff is getting dangerous. We are going to have a family party and I will get his daycare mates a little giftbag. Really low key celebration.

luv2bamama - Monday, 23 Jan
B-day present ideas for the little one (of course we haven’t actually purchased anything yet). A kids cleaning set that has a mop & broom. Colleen loves to help me, and I think it will save my walls if she is not using my broom to sweep the floors! Also, the other day in the bath, she was playing with some megablocks and lined them all up in a row and said “Choo-Choo” and pushed them all around the tub; so I think I may get her some real train toys. Lastly, we will likely get her some Hello Kitty bedding for her new big girl bed. I don’t think my FIL has even started on her shelves, so it may be a while before we can move her into the new room. Otherwise, I think that is about it!

lillhill79 - Monday, 23 Jan
Karen - the flower story was me. Never a dull moment in my life :) Cort got croup again so I've been home with both girls Thursday afternoon, all day Friday and the entire weekend. Let's just say we were all ready to get out of the house and away from eachother today. I honestly don't know how stay at home moms do it.

scarlet begonia - Thursday, 19 Jan
Luv - thanks for the welcome. It's great to be back. We'll see how long it lasts! hah! :)

I'm really leaning towards having a bday part for Aly at Chuck E Cheese. We were there a few months ago for my neice's bday party and Aly had so much fun. My thought is to rent out a few booths and decorate them, make some cupcakes and have a few gifts. Doing it at home is a mess I don't want to deal with and planning a park b-day could turn out badly since Feb. weather up here is so unpredictable. I love Karen's idea about the bear theme. I want to do a theme also, just not sure what yet. I don't want to do princess or barbie or anything girlie like that. She had a tinkerbell themed party last year, so not sure what to do for this one. hrmmmm...

On a side note Aly has been doing something I find to be COMPETELY adorable for a few months now. Whenever she see's me and Travis close to each other she yells 'mommy daddy' and will hug us both, kiss us both and make us kiss and make us hold hands and then snuggles between the two of us repeating 'mommy daddy'. My heart just melts! I feel so lucky and so blessed to have such a healthy and happy little girl. <3

luv2bamama - Thursday, 19 Jan
Welcome back Laura! I was just thinking about you and Alyssa and hoping you were still adjusting well to the move out to Cali. Your daughter is light years beyond Colleen verbally, and I think with her fine motor skills-she is still dressing herself right? Kids amaze me. As for presents for the 2 year birthday, we are going light, just like Christmas. She gets so much stuff from everyone else, I hardly have a place to put it all! I’m not a fan of things that require batteries, nor do I (or my child) like traditional “girlie” things, but my inlaws insist on “the pinker he better”. Colleen loves to play with cars, trains, blocks, books, puzzles, etc. (things that enhance her brain) and yet she ends up with girlie baby dolls, fluffy dresses, and tons of annoying battery operated gadgets from them. (I admit, that much of it ends up straight in the Goodwill pile). I love Karen’s bear birthday play date idea, but I’m not that motivated. Much like last year, we are likely just going to invite a few friends/family members over and do a BBQ and I’ll make cupcakes. Until the little one starts asking for a party, I’m happy just being mellow at home!

lillhill79 - Wednesday, 18 Jan
It's too bad you don't live closer,you Aly could have her pick of things out of my garage to play with. Currently taking up space is a push car, ride on cart, tricycle, power wheels jeep, power wheels 4-wheeler, and a toddler bicycle. All that crap for 2 kids. Sad thing is the only thing we actually bought for them was the toddler bicycle and I got that at a garage sale for $10. Rediculous.

scarlet begonia - Wednesday, 18 Jan
lil - I feel you on the kids having everything. It's getting to the point where a new toy means nothing to Aly. I sort of feel like not getting her anything too big. I don't want her to grow up with little appreciation for her things. But, I definitely want to get her something she can ride on outside so she has something to do outdoors during the summer. I think that along with a small party (and the other gifts she will get from everyone else) will be sufficient.

lillhill79 - Wednesday, 18 Jan
Hi Laura. Welcome back. Glad to hear you're all doing well. Thanks for all the positive thoughts you all have been sending me, I'm so relieved to life getting back to normal again. Stress just drains you so fast both physically and mentally. I too am completely clueless on what to get Cort for her birthday (2 weeks from today, yikes!) She got SO much stuff for Christmas and still has everything from her older sister as well, plus I got both girls a few new things to take on the plane ride a week after her birthday. I need to put some thought into it, even if it's just one small thing, she has to have something to open on her birthday.

scarlet begonia - Tuesday, 17 Jan
Just curious what you all are getting your LO's for their B-days. I was planning on a few gifts - one being a tricycle. BUT, we live in the desert and I think Aly might enjoy a power wheel more than a tricyle given that we have more dirt, sand and rocks in our front/back yard than we do pavement. We were also thinking of getting her a stuffed LOTSO, from Toy Story and some summer clothes and shoes.

scarlet begonia - Tuesday, 17 Jan
On the topic of eating habits... don't beat yourself up! My 13 month old neice eats more in one meal sometimes than Aly (or her 4 year old sister) does in an entire day! I think it's normal for kids to go through cycles where they don't eat much or they eat a lot of a certain type of food. I make it a point to still offer Aly a full healthy meal everytime. The days she is just not eating enough, I feed her veggies before anything else. If she eats all her veggies then I move on to carbs and protein. If her breakfast starts off bad I try to limit her to just drinking water before her next meal. Sugary drinks and milk can curb their appetite. And on the really bad days, I give her a dose of multi-vitamins just before she brushes her teeth at night and try again the next day.

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