2-year check-in

Today we took Madeline for her 2-year check-in with the pediatrician. She weighed in at 28 pounds and is 34.5 inches tall. She's grown more than 2 inches since her last check-in, which was six months ago. But this was no surprise to us - we've been keeping tabs on her height with marks on her bedroom door, and there are already a few inches between measurements even though we've only lived here less than six months.

The doctor was happy with Madeline's progress. She didn't bother finishing the developmental checklist because Madeline is so obviously ahead of the game. Three-word sentences? Madeline reads entire books by herself. She frequently asks me 9- and 10-word questions. The doctor described her as "so smart" and "precocious."

But then she turned it against us. Since Madeline already "talks like a 5-year-old," she might end up being more devious and wily when it comes to disregarding her parents (she is still a 2-year-old, after all). So, while we sometimes feel like we've been experiencing the "terrible twos" for 8 months already, things could get much worse.

Note: Yesterday we stopped the pacifier. She had only used them at naptime and bedtime, but she had gotten to the point where she needed two to get to sleep - one for her mouth and the other to hold. A few weeks ago we stopped giving her the second one in anticipation of altogether ceasing after she turned 2. Yesterday we went cold-turkey. As it turned out, I think she was ready to give them up. On the first day she was acquiescent, today was a little more touchy. Hopefully things will smooth out over the next few days.