Rigby at Two Years Old

I began this post back in May, shortly after Rigby turned 2.  With our move to Chattanooga and the resettling and learning of new routines that a move requires, I am just now sitting down to edit it.  And, while it may seem quite outdated (he turns 2 1/2 at the end of this month!!!???!), I still find it important and noteworthy to document this big milestone for us and, one day, for him.

This post has been a difficult one to start (and, once started, a difficult one to finish), not for lack of things to share, but quite the opposite.  Rigby seems to be shedding his babyhood at mind-blowing speed and proudly dancing and jumping (literally, always dancing and jumping) into his toddler boy persona.  He is constantly in motion, running and jumping and climbing, doing his best to keep up with Bo-Bo (Jack).  There is just so much to say about our sweet, loving, active boy.

"Bibee" is how Rigby refers to himself.  Bo-bo is Jack.  Daddy is David.  And I am either Mama or Mommy.  All small children are babies (including ones that are older than he is), he knows the names of many of his close extended family members and many of our friends, and everyone else is "people".  He talks a lot.  And, every day he seems to add more words to his repertoire.  To the untrained ear, most of his speech is unintelligible, but his core group understands him nearly all of the time.

Rigby loves music and will almost always freeze in his tracks when he hears a song worthy of dancing to.  He has loved "The Music Class" and requests to listen to his class songs by saying "ba ba bababa" and tapping his legs.  We have recently started attending Toddler Time at the library and he loves it.  He loves the music and the stories, but just as much loves to be with other children and run around.

Rigby is full of manners: "Thank You" is very routine for him and he says this when he is given something but also when he gives something to someone (hands me his plate and says "Thank you, Mama").  He also goes out of his way to greet everyone either with a wave, a hello/hi, and/or a hug (which is really just a lean in, leading with one shoulder) and to say "Bless You" for both coughs and sneezes.

Rigby pretends to count often, especially when splashing into the pool.  Sometimes he will correctly count, other times he says "3, 2, 7...".  He knows most sounds made by animals and the words to several songs, but he has yet to grasp the concept of colors despite our persistence in trying to teach him.  He particularly loves flamingos and peacocks which he affectionately calls "mingos" and "pee-cock".

We once worried that Rigby was a picky eater and I attributed this to the fact that I did not exclusively breast feed him nor did I exclusively make all of his baby food (two things that I was able to do for Jack).  However, with age, Rigby has been eager to try more foods, and is even accepting of most.  He loves fruit, smoothies, french fries, sauces/dips, and quite possibly favors eggs as an entree above all else.

Sleep is getting better but is still not excellent.  He takes a while to fall asleep at night, particularly on those nights when I put him to bed, and he wakes at least once most nights and needs a replacement "dadew" (pacifier) or to be covered back up.  I have been treated to not being the parent who has to get up at night since the sight of me causes him to really wake and, thus, take much longer to settle back to sleep.

Rigby loves to help.  As with most "help" that toddlers provide, his help creates more messes and slows us down, but it is super cute (most of the time) when we hear him say "I do it" (said is a higher pitched almost whiny voice with both an insistence and plea).  He loves to help feed Sadie (at which he is able to steal a few bites of her dog food), stir when cooking, blend our smoothies, climb into his own carseat, etc.

Rigby loves people and will quickly make friends from teachers to strangers at the grocery store.  He love stop blow kisses to everyone and to hug if he can get close enough.  His most favorite person seems to be Jack.  He cries every morning after we walk Jack to school and needs to be reassured multiple times throughout the day that we will soon walk to pick up Bo-Bo. Jack is extremely patient and kind to Rigby, despite Rigby wanting to do absolutely everything that Jack is doing.  

Favorites: water, music, climbing at the playground (usually to the top of the highest slide), jelly beans (pronounced bebee beans), walks in the wagon

Rigby, we love you so much!