December 4, 2019 (Updated May 25, 2023)

Riese: 2 Year Update

by Anne Mauney, MPH, RD

79 comments

2 years – whoa!!

Today I’m sharing an update on how my favorite little lady and I are doing at the 2 year mark. Read on to learn some of her current favorite things, plus answers to your questions (like: do we want another baby?, are we switching Riese to low/no fat milk?, have we started potty training?, etc.).

I shared the following intro as part of an Instagram post last week for Riese’s birthday, but wanted to include it here, too, for those who don’t follow along on Instagram. 🙂

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For the past few weeks, Riese and I have been playing a game. It’s a very simple game but it’s my most favorite game ever because it involves cuddles. 

Riese runs – sprints – to the front door, via the kitchen, leaving me sitting on the living room floor. 

Then she turns and sprints back, cackling madly, while I wait with my arms open in a hug. 

When she gets close enough, she launches herself directly into my arms, not slowing even a tiny bit before completely crashing into me.

Half the time the force of it knocks me flat on my back, with her in my arms, both of us laughing madly, my heart expanding more than I ever thought possible. 

It’s moments like these that you wish you could bottle up and save; moments you wish you could re-live just when you need them.

And it’s moments like these that I know there is absolutely nothing in the entire world I’d rather be doing than what I am in that moment. 

This is 2. And it is so fun, you guys. 

Are there tantrums?

Of course. 

Is my patience tested?

Of course. 

Are there days where I count the minutes until Matt gets home?

Of course. 

But moments like that game make up for all of it and more. This business of motherhood is so hard, but so precious. And I feel so lucky to be in the midst of it. 

The last time I did a Riese update was at 19 months, which feels like forever ago already!

The main difference now is that Riese is doing so much more talking – stringing together multiple words into often near/complete sentences. She does a lot of repeating everything we say, too – it’s funny hearing random phrases we say a lot come out of her mouth just how we say them!

I think the fact that she can communicate a bit better now has helped with the tantrum situation – at 19 months we were having a hard time with lots of full on tantrums, but that seems to have calmed down thankfully. She still tests us, of course – as she should at this age! – but it doesn’t feel as constant as it did over the summer, and we’ve been able to help her to communicate with us when she gets frustrated which helps a lot to stop the situation from escalating.

Riese also seems very susceptible to getting hangry (so am I, so this makes sense, ha), so if she’s kind of a hot mess in general I can usually guess she’s gotten a little too hungry and we need food ASAP… or that she’s tired! Staying on top of the food situation by giving her protein and fat rich snacks (vs. snacks that are just carbs) helps a lot here, and I try to be proactive and make sure she takes breaks when we are out and about to eat, or to give her a snack before we do something that might take awhile (like a music or baby gym class or a playground playdate). 

I talked a lot about food in my 19 month post so you can check that out to see toddler food ideas because not much has changed… we still usually just give her what we’re eating and if she eats it, great, if not, that’s fine too. We follow a schedule/routine (more on that below), but keep it flexible as needed because some days she’s hungrier than others or wants to eat sooner than other days, and that’s fine. 

Here are some of Riese’s favorite things right now!

  • Saying “hi _____” to her friends – this is sooo cute. She seems extroverted like me… she’s usually happiest when we are out and about!
  • Babies – both real and her little doll 
  • Walking with this tiny stroller – she LOVES it and it was super cheap… best investment. It even has a tiny sun shade, straps to hold stuffed animals/dolls in, and tiny basket below for storing toys!

  • Trucks and cars
  • Fit-together blocks
  • Music (we started going to music class this fall and she loves it – we are constantly singing all the songs and the CD has been a lifesaver for the car even though listening to it all the time kind of drives me and Matt crazy)
  • Climbing + jumping – this makes sense because she skipped the whole “sit and chill in your lap” phase and instead spend her entire first year jumping up and down in our laps. She’s OBSESSED with jumping. 

  • Peek-a-boo – she will scream “ISEEYOU!!!”
  • Building forts to hide in/under
  • Reading books – she has started to have a little more patience with sitting through books now which is fun. Her current fave is the brand new Good Night Little Blue Truck book! She has started looking at books on her own now more occasionally, too – she loves books that have flaps to lift up. 

  • Alexa – she loves asking Alexa to play music for her. Alexa doesn’t quite understand her yet and respond, but she is close… we told her Alexa only works if she says “please” so we always hear “LESSA! EASE!!” 😉
  • Helping: putting laundry in the washer and the hampers, throwing away trash, “sweeping”, wiping off counter, and cooking – she really loves her “kitchen helper”! She can climb in and out of herself and stand at the counter and help us. At first she only wanted to be in it for a second before getting bored, but now she’s really loving it and actually asks to get in it and “help” whenever we are cooking.

Riese really helps me to be in the moment – when I’m with her I do my best to ignore/completely put away my phone and just be with her. To be silly, to run around, to play little games and act like a kid again myself. The moments feel so special and so fleeting and I don’t want to miss them by not paying attention. 

And now… I asked on Instagram if you guys had any questions for me, so I wanted to address those here as well! 

  • Do you want another baby?

Lots of people asked this question, which makes sense because I know I’m always curious if others want more kids, too! 🙂

Yes, we do want another child… but I’m not quite ready yet.

To be honest, I feel really overwhelmed at the thought of pregnancy, potentially another C section recovery, and the newborn/first year period a second time. We have a really good thing going right now, things feel manageable and I love having adventures with Riese, we all sleep well (knock on wood), I’ve finally figured out a work routine that makes sense after a LOT of guilt/anxiety/trial and error, and… yeah.

This is also the first time in almost 3 years that I’ve felt like myself energy-wise in terms of workouts/running, and it feels really good – I guess breastfeeding took more physical energy than I realized (we stopped in late June), and it was a long time before I was able to run and work out without pain due to the C section.

Of COURSE it would 100% be worth it, though, and I hope we are fortunate enough to even be able to have another child when we are ready – but I’m just sharing how I’m feeling thinking about it at the moment. I know I’m lucky to even be thinking/debating about all of this, and my heart goes out to those of you who are trying to get pregnant and haven’t, or who have experienced losses. <3

So, yeah. I’m hoping I’ll feel ready soon, and then hoping that when I do feel ready we are able to conceive again. I don’t want to wait TOO long because I don’t want the age gap to be too large. Stay tuned. 🙂

  • Have you started potty training?

Not yet!

Riese has started telling us sometimes when she has pooped, but other than that she doesn’t seem to be ready/interested yet. I’m going to get a few hand me down toddler toilets from a friend soon, so maybe that will spark more interest, but I’m not trying to rush it or force it. 

  • What is sleep/the daily schedule like right now for Riese?

Riese usually wakes up between 6:30 and 7 or so. She has breakfast right away (well, usually – some days she’s not hungry so we wait a bit), followed by a snack around 9 or 9:30 or 10 (depending how early breakfast was/if she seems hangry), and then lunch around 11:30/12. She usually naps from about 1 to 3, but sometimes it’s less. When she wakes up we have another snack, and then dinner is around 6. Her bedtime is usually around 7:30 or so. 

  • Do you give Riese any supplements? 

I occasionally stir a probiotic powder into her milk, but that’s it.

We used to do vitamin D drops when she was a baby but stopped when we introduced cow’s milk at 1 year, since I figure she gets a lot from fortified cow’s milk and other food (salmon, canned tuna, egg yolks, etc.) – and the sun! 

  • Is Riese still getting whole milk? Will you be switching her to low fat/skim milk?

Yes, Riese is still getting whole milk and she will continue to for as long as she wants to drink milk. 🙂

We drink whole milk when we have milk, too! You can read why in this blog post: 7 Common Nutrition Myths (see #2).

  • What advice would you give yourself one year ago?

Ah, this is a good one! Hm. I would probably just give myself a pep talk/some compassion. I’ve struggled a lot with mom guilt, worrying about how to balance everything, wanting to be here for Riese all the time but not able to be because of work, etc., so I would just remind myself that I’m doing the best that I can, and that’s all I can do. And that even though it’s hard to balance everything, I’m doing a great job, and that I will continue to get more confident as a mom as Riese gets older.

I’d also tell myself that a lot of fun is coming – I really love having a toddler! It’s very challenging in a lot of different ways than it was when Riese was a baby, but I think it’s SO much more fun… I just love how interactive she is, and how she puts her whole heart into everything. 

Thank you for reading this post, and for sharing in this journey with us! 

I will leave you with a few questions for those of you that are parents:

  1. How old was your child when you transitioned them from a crib to a bed? Riese is still in her crib and we aren’t in any hurry to change this because it’s nice to have her contained… but I’m curious what the average age is here! Riese is still sleeping in a zip up blanket so that thankfully limits her ability to climb out of her crib, which I know is a reason some people switch!
  2. How old was your child when you potty trained? Curious what the average age is here as well! Any books/resources are welcomed here, too!

Flashback posts:

Please note this post contains affiliate links.

- anne

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79 comments
  • Ann
    My daughter is a year and half older than Riese, so reading your posts takes me back to the not-so-distant past! It's amazing how much they change and grow in the early years. We transitioned my daughter to a toddler bed (removing one of the crib walls) just a week or so after her second birthday. She had started trying to climb out of her crib even with the zipped-up sleepsack (scary!) so it was time. That transition was pretty rough for a few days. She did NOT want to stay in bed, and we literally had to hold the door closed while she wailed on the other side. Eventually, she would give up and get back into bed. It was torture, but it actually was only an issue for 3-4 days. We began potty training at 2.5 years. She started peeing in the potty almost immediately, but poop was a challenge. There were a few weeks where she pooped in her underwear. Every. Day. However, with the help of her awesome teachers at day care, we got through it. She's been fully potty trained now for 8 months and it is so amazing. Good luck with all your upcoming adventures! The twos are a fun year. :)
    Reply
  • LSS
    I love seeing these posts because my son was born exactly one year before Riese (Nov 24, and actually my bday is 9/21!), and it makes me smile to reflect on the previous year. I am only now preparing my son for a "big kid bed," but I did remake the crib as a toddler bed he could get in and out of just a bit after age 2. Luckily he still doesn't get out of it himself in the morning, but he likes to get in by himself. Potty training I did over the summer (June), and I think I waited a little too long. I liked the book Oh Crap!, though I do think it's okay to be a tiny bit more relaxed about the whole process than the book suggests. I spent a week home alone with him focused on absolutely nothing else, and I about lost my mind! It's a long process. Six months later, I still have to ask him routinely to visit the bathroom, and he still has the very occasional accident if he's really engrossed in something. I try to keep in mind that one day I won't think about his pee every two hours! Year 2 has been awesome - so much conversation! Enjoy!
    Reply
  • Jo
    My daughter was just over two when she was potty trained I was actually planning to wait until she was older but she saw older kids at daycare using the potty and wearing big girl panties. When her dad picked her up from daycare she asked for "5 bucks" he laughed and asked why she needed money and she said she wanted "panties and popsicles". He took her to the store and she was so proud of her panties she rarely had an accident. I think that waiting until they show interest is the way to go. She was in her crib until she was almost 3. She never tried to climb out even though she certainly could have. We ended up moving to a new house around that time and bought her a bed for her new room.
    Reply
    • Anne
      Haha that's so cute!
      Reply
  • Amy
    My oldest son was 24 months and my youngest was 27 months when we potty trained. It totally depends on the kid though. My oldest was pretty easy and my youngest needed some sticker charts, but if you wait until their ready it shouldn't be too awful. My oldest was in a twin bed at 25 months and my youngest was in one at 2.5. Very different experiences there! My oldest is 5.5 now and still stays in his bed until we come to get him. My youngest just turned 3 and likes to explore a bit more! You know your girl and will do things when you and she are ready! I don't like that people asked you if you are planning to have more babies. How do those people know you haven't been trying or even that you've had a loss recently? As a women who went through both infertility and miscarriage, I will never, ever ask another person if they want kids or more kids. You just never know what someone is going through and it is such a personal thing.
    Reply
  • Colleen
    We switched to a toddler bed earlier than I wanted because my son kept getting his legs caught in the crib slats and we had to saw the slats off to free him. He was still in sleep sacks. So maybe a little before 2. That transition hasn’t been an issue at all. He stays in bed and it’s been no big deal. We potty trained once at 25 months and then bailed and tried a month later. We did Oh Crap Potty Training. My son’s had regression at school because we had our second last week, but otherwise is doing well. Potty training has been super stressful so I’d read the books and then start when you’re fully ready to commit. They feed off our energy and doubt which impacts success, at least in my experience. Oh Crap can be intense but I would recommend it. Good luck!
    Reply
  • Lisa of Lisa's Yarns
    This was fun to read! Our son Paul is about 3 months younger than Riese so very close developmentally, and that gap will narrow as they get older. I also love the toddler phase so much. It has its challenges for sure, but it's so cool to see them learn new things. And their enthusiasm for things is awesome and inspiring. We put up our tree last weekend and Paul kept saying "wow!" over and over with so much feeling/expression. He is truly amazed by the tree and says wow every night when I turn the lights on. I'll be curious to see what people say about the crib transition. Paul has not tried to crawl out of his crib at all. He wears a sleep sack so he wouldn't be able to, but he doesn't even seen to want to? So I think he might be a later transitioner. We'll see. A friend of mine has a son who is 4 and is still in his crib! They have tried to transition him to a big boy bed - there is one in his room - but he loves his crib so much. They lowered one of the walls so he can get in and out with a step stool to go to the bathroom (he's been potty trained for awhile - they tried transitioning him out of the crib when he potty trained). They have a son who will be 2 in January and they think he will be interested in getting out of his crib soon as that might prompt the older boy to ditch the crib, too. So crazy how different kids can be! Paul shows zero interest in potty training but I've heard that boys tend to be late. I think my nephews all trained closer to 3. He does tell us if he has pooped though so that is helpful (although the smell usually gives him away!!). But at least he's aware of what his body is doing.
    Reply
    • Anne
      Isn't their enthusiasm and excitement about the smallest things SO fun? I love it. It makes me so much more excited about little things again to get to experience them through her eyes!
      Reply
  • Alex
    My son was about 2.5 when he was potty trained and my daughter was closer to 3. There were easy/hard parts with both of them! My son still needed a pull up at night for at least a year, maybe 2, even after he was in underwear during the day. My daughter could go all night right from the beginning, but decided that once she was wearing underwear she never wanted to poop again...which is actually a much worse problem than just needing a pull up at night! Happy to report that they are 11 and 7 now and have no issues in the potty department. They just both went at their own pace. :) We went from crib to bed at around the time of potty training for both of them, at the suggestion of our pediatrician. We thought it didn't seem fair to ask them to hold their pee but then not give them free access to the bathroom if they needed it during the night! Neither of mine were ever crib climbers, and they actually really liked their cribs, so we just did it when access to the bathroom became important.
    Reply
    • Anne
      It definitely seems kids do things on their own time! :)
      Reply
  • Roadrunner
    What a wonderful, honest, and open - and enjoyable - post! Thanks - and congratulations on two great years!
    Reply
  • Brooke
    My son was a little over 2 when he started taking off his sleep sack and climbing out of the crib, so we moved him then. My daughter was almost 2 when we did it but that was because we needed the crib for our 3rd. My son was almost 3 when we potty trained and my daughter was 2.5.
    Reply
  • ellen reynolds
    The pics of your daughter tickle my heart. She's precious. My grand daughter is 3 and her mom and I are still trying to get her potty trained. She will get on the toilet at least once daily, but not more than that, haha. She lets us know after the fact that she has already done her business. Patience is a virtue:) Oh but the joys of being a grandmother! Harder on the knees and sometimes energy level, but the rewards of being with her far outweigh the struggles. Blessings!
    Reply
    • Anne
      Very true. Thanks Ellen!
      Reply
  • Sherilyn
    We transitioned to a toddler bed just before our daughter turned 3 (it’s a toddler rail on her convertible crib). We did this prior to potty training which took about a month right before her 3rd birthday. WE liked “oh crap potty training” which promotes earlier PT but we waited due to schedules.
    Reply
  • Laura
    We switched Emma from a crib to a big girl bed (full sized bed on the floor so it's easy to get in and out) right about when she turned 3. She hadn't been trying to get out of her crib but we had to switch her room and bed as her newborn brother needed the room. It seemed like the right time to switch. We potty trained at 2 1/2. She had no desire to do so but I wanted it done before our son was born-I did not want two in diapers! We did the oh crap method and it worked great and we did it over a three day weekend. She is still in a pull up at night at 4 as her body isn't ready to go overnight yet.
    Reply
  • Kori
    Such an exciting time! I know it must be the best to watch her grow, develop her own personality, and explore the world around her. Matt and I are still having to resume our house search next year, and I pray we find one as sometime after when we are settled, I would like to try to have a child. While I try not to plan anything to a fault, I'll be 32 in June, so I just want to hopefully be able to have our first not too terribly long from now. :) Thank you for sharing!
    Reply
    • Anne
      Aw that's exciting -- I hope your home search goes well!
      Reply
  • Nicole @ Laughing My Abs Off
    Awww I love how rambunctious she is! I'm sure it's hard to keep up with sometimes, but she sounds like a total blast and a ball of energy and joy hehe :) LOVE reading these updates!
    Reply
  • Shannah
    We moved my daughter to a big girl bed at 2.5 because I was pregnant and needed the crib. I would’ve waited way longer- her sleep has been iffy since then and she’ll be 4 next week ??‍♀️ She never tried climbing out of the crib though. Potty trained at a little over 2 years because her teachers at school worked with her, otherwise I would’ve waited longer! She still wears pull ups to bed and I’m not planning on changing that for awhile.
    Reply
    • The Many Thoughts of a Reader
      Reise is adorable. We were team crib for lyfeee. I think we took the side off after she potty trained in case she needed to get up in the middle of the night to pee. (She did not). So that was like 3. She stayed in that until she was 4ish. I started sitting her on the toilet about 18 months and nothing really happened until after 2. Occasional pee would be caught, but I just tried before baths and let her do what she wanted. At daycare she decided with her provider to try one day and she was immediately potty trained. Soooo yeah. It was right before she was 3. I was going to wait until after we had gone on a cross country road trip but of course she had her own plans, so then we had to find all the road side bathrooms because even though she was in a pull up for the trip she wouldn't pee in it! I just had my second. My oldest is 8. I completely understand the feelings on not beiing ready. My daughter was 4 before I really wanted another one. It then took us 3 years of trying. Ughh..
      Reply
      • Anne
        Oh man, I'm so sorry you had a hard time conceiving - but so glad to hear your second has now arrived! Congrats! And yeah, car trips and adventures to places without bathrooms do not seem super fun when potty training is happening...
        Reply
  • Errign
    First kid was out of his crib at 27 months because he just loved it and has always been a good sleeper. Second kid was out of his crib by 20 months because he is not as good of a sleeper and often wants to nurse so a floor bed is easier. First kid we potty trained at 21 months with lots of success. Second kid was 18 months when we started (to avoid potty training in the middle of winter) and now almost 4 months later, he is still struggling with accidents but it’s getting better! Oh Crap! Is the vest potty training book in our experience!
    Reply
  • Amy
    My daughter was about 2 1/2 when we transitioned to the toddler bed...she never tried to climb out of her crib, and she stayed put in the bed too - she would always call for us if she needed us. We were in the midst of potty training when she switched to the bed, so it just seemed like the right time! Potty training took us a while though...she was DONE at like 2 1/2 and we patted ourselves on the back for how easy it was, and then she regressed a whole lot like 4 months later when she switched classrooms at school, so you just never know! And night training is its own personal brand of fun.
    Reply
    • Anne
      Haha yeah the night training seems like a different ball game!
      Reply
      • Amy
        Patience, hugs (she would get SO upset because she thought we'd be mad but of course there was nothing she could do about it) and a spare mattress pad are key for night training!! We definitely went back and forth with pull ups at night, too, just to save our sanity if she had a run of several nights in a row with accidents.
        Reply
        • Anne
          Awww sounds like it was tough on all of you! <3 Glad you are on the other side :)
          Reply
  • Jen
    We are attempting to potty train my daughter (born the day before Riese) around Christmas time. We are working parents and with the days off, it seems like the best option. We are using the “Oh crap potty training” method. If she is not ready...we will try again later. We are also not in any hurry to change from the crib to the big girl bed. We are also having another baby in May so are a little concerned with that big transition as well! And will have to figure out the crib situation at some point.
    Reply
    • Anne
      I hope the potty training situation goes well! And congrats on impending #2 :)
      Reply
  • Sarah
    We switched to a toddler bed not long after my now 2.5 year old, but it was only because he kept appearing next to me in the middle of the night saying "Hi, mama!" because he was climbing out of his crib! Everyone told me to keep him in as long as he would stay in.
    Reply
  • Catherine
    Happy birthday Riese! I loved your description of the highs/lows of parenting a toddler. My daughter is 2.5 and still in her crib. She slept on a pull-out couch over our Thanksgiving holiday and that reinforced my hesitation to switch to a bed. She did not nap once that week :) She potty trained a little before 2.5. We were fairly casual about it and I would say it took about 3-4 weeks to get to almost no accidents. Pooping was a big challenge but she's so proud of herself now that she's a pro at the potty.
    Reply
    • Anne
      I have a feeling we will take more of a casual approach to potty training too - I'm just not great at intense/structured programs. Did you follow any sort of guide or just wing it?
      Reply
      • Catherine
        We didn't follow an official guide. I think we read some online posts from the Mayo Clinic and maybe American Association of Pediatrics. For a week or two she wore Pull Ups (or any brand of training pants) instead of underwear/diapers, and we just took her to the potty all the time. Then once she had the hang of things, we switched to underwear. She still wears a Pull Up for nap and at night (there are nighttime ones). A lot of people swear by the 3 day method, but that didn't really fit with our personalities. Good luck! And don't feel pressured. I was really dreading it and resented people asking if we had potty trained yet.
        Reply
        • Anne
          I don't think the 3 day method would fit with my personality either... feels too strict... but I know so many people that swear by it! This is helpful - thanks!
          Reply
  • TrackBuddy
    Such a great update - really takes me back a few years ago! A few thoughts: - 2.5 was the magic age for both of my girls for potty training. - Overnight can happen instantly with regular potty training, or can take (much) longer, and/or can also revert. If this becomes an issue ever let me know, this has been quite a journey for us. But regardless I highly recommend getting a nice rubber sheet for the twin bed once you switch her into a big-girl bed. :-) - We left our older daughter in a crib longer than we needed to - then it was some rough sledding getting her used to a bed. We put the younger daughter in a bed (I think a mattress on the floor for a while) at 18ish months I believe, with a gate around the door so the door could open but she couldn't escape. That was awesome! We had rough few nights but then she got with the program, and it was great getting her used to a bed sooner rather than later.
    Reply
    • Anne
      Oo the rubber sheet is a good idea! p.s. Let's do a run soon so I can see you and also so I can snag those potties ;)
      Reply
  • Kay
    My oldest was 2 years 7 months when we switched him to a bed (we wanted him used to sleeping in an open bed before our vacation that summer) and 2 weeks shy of 3 when we potty trained. My youngest just transitioned to a bed this week at 3.5 years. She's been able to climb in and out for about a year now but she liked her crib and was climbing safely so we didn't bother changing anything. We potty trained her at 2 years 8 months.
    Reply
  • Alaina
    My daughter was always petite and never attempted climbing out of her crib. In an effort to keep her safe, we let her stay in it until 3yo, and now she is doing well in a toddler bed. Don't rush it!
    Reply
  • Wendy
    My son turned 3 today and I remember reading your pregnancy updates while late-night breastfeeding! I agree- toddlers are amazing. It just gets better. I found the baby stage to be so difficult and a friend with an older kid comforted me by saying that some people are baby people and some are toddler people. I am definitely a toddler person! As for your questions! My son is still in a crib and we have no intention to move him. We always said we would if he climbed out or something but he seems to like the confinement. Like Riese, he is non-stop and I think the crib gives him a chance to be still. I joke he will be in a crib until he is 18 but I am sure the transition will happen in the next year... Potty training was tough on me. I hated it. But once we did it- so worth it! We used the Oh Crap book. as a few friends recommended it. My son got the peeing down straight away. Pooping took longer. We started when he was 2.5 (29 months-ish). He still has occasional accidents at daycare but it is great to not have to worry about diapers (still wears them at night though).
    Reply
    • Anne
      I am for sure a toddler person, too! :)
      Reply
  • jessey
    I have 2 kids - 31 months apart, girl is older than the boy. The experiences with bed and toilet-training were very different with each 1) Crib to Bed - We thought we would transition her to the bed when she was 2 but she wasn't really interested in it and then I was on modified bedrest with #2 and I wanted to keep things easier for my husband. Once he was born she moved herself into the bed thinking that he'd get to sleep in her crib as soon as he was born. But we kept him in our room for 6 months (until he was out of the swaddle and was mobile) because we were worried that she would climb in the crib or want to add stuffed animals to his crib. She stopped napping as soon as he was born but it took years to realize that our biggest parent fail was sticking to our guns that once her last pacifier broke there was no more. It broke the day he came home. We should have given her another one! But even without the naps, once she went into her bed at night she stayed there. He was a different story - We took the front off his crib at 26 months because he was climbing out (something she had never done) - honestly that was the end of good sleep for him for a long time, but that was just his personality (he also doesn't need a lot of sleep) - He was up out of the bed all the time. 2) Toilet Training - She started going #1 and #2 in the little potty started at 18 months in the morning and evening (ie whenever she was naked). We didn't dare try actual training her while we were in the newborn haze so we tried when she was about 34 months - she took to day training immediately (she also had a fantastic trainer as a daycare trainer) but she was one of those kids who was in pull-ups until 7 or 8. He on the other hand never, ever, ever went in the little potty. He started a new daycare at 30 months and within 1 week came home and told me he was done with pull ups and went into the bathroom and even stood up! But that was just for #1 - He would not go #2 in the potty until almost 4 months later - he would come home from school and put on a pull up and do his thing. Because of this we didn't dare have him without pullups at night even though he was always dry in the morning. Then at almost 4 he started #2 on the potty and we never used a pull up again (and he's had maybe 2 accidents ever). I am very much in the game of not doing it too early. If there is no interest there is zero reason to do it. Yes, I know back in my day (my kids are 13 and 10) there were some private pre-schools where kids had to be potty trained. I don't know if that is still the case. My kids were both daycare kids so it didn't matter.
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  • Gill
    My 2.5yo is still in a crib...and I don’t know how to night potty train him until we make the switch! My husband potty trained him at 18 months (another Oh Crap user) and it took him a few months to go more than a week or so without an accident. Now he’s been accident free for about 6 months, but we still diaper at night...so IDK.
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  • Lisa
    Hi Annifer :) love Riese updates and hope to meet her one day! Just wanted to pop in to say delay the move out of the crib as lonnggggg as possible. Like if she’s still sleeping in the crib if you have another baby, buy a new crib. ? It’s so much easier when they are older. We switched Caroline right before 2.5 and it went fine, but it was a hassle for a bit adjusting and sleep was totally messed up. I also hear of some kids giving up nap! We bought a crib off marketplace for my middle when the third was born and he stayed in it till after he was 3, which really cut down on the number of shenanigans lol. It all works out, but just my two cents! Congrats on two years and hope to see you soon. ?
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    • Anne
      Thanks girl! I miss you! This totally makes sense... I have no interest in messing with nap time or nighttime sleep, ha! Crib as long as possible!!
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  • Lara
    I love this post! We transitioned A from the crib when she was 2years 4months, we took the rail off her crib for a few weeks and then tried the twin bed. It was a pretty easy transition for us/her so I don’t regret doing it when we did, but we mostly did it then to free up the crib for the baby. Potty training just sort of happened when she was 2.5 years. We didn’t push it, but had been introducing the idea and we really followed her lead. She of course still has accidents here and there but she really does very well!
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  • Jen
    My daughter never, ever tried to climb out of her crib, so we did not take the side off and convert it to a toddler bed until she was about 3.5. Then we moved her to a regular bed at about 4. I know a lot of people have to do it much sooner, but it was great to have her in there for so long. Potty training… This may not be a popular advice, but I would not pressure her at all. My daughter is 5 1/2 Now and I knew so many parents who regretted pushing their kids, and pushing my daughter did absolutely nothing. If you have not read anything by Janet Lansbury I highly recommend her on all parenting topics, including potty training.
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    • Anne
      Ooo I'll have to read what she has to say about potty training because I LOVE her other parenting advice - it's the approach we use with Riese and we find it really works! I meant to mention her book No Bad Kids in this post because it's been so helpful to us.
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  • Amber
    My son turned 2 in October and I feel like I could have written these words! I absolutely love this age, and think it just keeps getting better and better :) and I have the same exact concerns as far as another baby is concerned. Right now I’m content with one, but who knows! My son is also still in his crib - he will put his leg up occasionally but has never tried to climb out. And we’ve started potty training a bit, but it’s definitely not consistent. I usually ask if he wants to try going before I change his diaper. We’ve had more success with the training seat that goes on the big potty vs the kid potties (easier cleanup too). But I don’t feel the need to rush either - it will click when it clicks :)
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    • Anne
      Thanks :) A training seat seems nice... I like the sound of easier clean up!
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  • Katie
    I feel the same way as you about baby #2! I do want another baby because I want my son to have a sibling, but we’ve finally gotten into a comfortable routine and the thought of going through pregnancy, birth, and the newborn phase again is so overwhelming! But I’m getting into my late 30’s so I also feel pressure to make up my mind and do it soon! It’s a hard decision!
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    • Anne
      Same re: the age thing... I just turned 37 in September so I'm feeling a lot of pressure from that too!
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  • Kevie
    Hi Anne, These updates on Riese are great! They help me feel like a normal mom. Thank you for your honesty and openness! What a nice way to journal her growth and memories. My daughter moved from crib to bed (simple mattress on the floor) when she was 28 months. She loved her crib, but our new son needed it, and we wanted to provide enough transition time so she didn’t think he was taking it from her. We checked some books out about big kid beds from the library. She loved her new bed right away! Our main rule was she had to tell us when she woke up and couldn’t get out of bed until we came to get her (we can communicate through the monitor). We are over 3 months in, and it has been going very well. As for potty training, our daughter was interested in the potty and her potty seat around 20 months. However, she never successfully used it. We kind of let it drop because it was bad timing for us as parents - I was getting very pregnant and eventually we had a new baby. We’ve checked potty books out from the library. Our girl is 31 months and can tell us when she’s wet or she poops, but we’re not opening up the potty training until after the new year because we’re traveling for Christmas, and I don’t think potty training and travels work well together. Good luck to you and your family!
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    • Anne
      Makes sense to wait until timing is good for all involved, for sure!
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  • DL
    I like these LO updates because mine is just a few months younger than yours. I also totally feel you on the not wanting another child now. It's a lot of work being pregnant and raising them when they are super little, and my pregnancy wasn't even that bad! 1. We have LO sleep on a memory foam mattress topper on the floor for a few months now. It's cushy and not too high off the ground. We like it a lot! 2. LO is 20 months old, and we started potty training a few days ago. We'll see how it goes.
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    • Anne
      Good luck with potty training!!
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  • Caylin
    My little girl just turned 4 and still sleeps in her crib. She loves it, doesn't try and climb.. we have always reinforced that the bed is for sleeping, not playing. She doesn't mention a different bed. So much of what children learn and expect comes from the parents, if she ja happy there keep her there. No external guilt or side eyes to move her to a bed. We have a 10 month old baby sleeping in a crib too. We were totally open to moving her before or around when the baby arrived, but she didnt need to. Just my thoughts ? enjoy a wonderful week making memories with your little girl!!
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    • Anne
      I'm for sure going to ride the crib situation out as long as possible (or until Riese decides to start climbing out)...!
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  • Rachel
    Potty trained my daughter at 22 months, son just before 3 years old (it was way better, he does it much more independently)! Transitioned my first out of the crib at 3, next one will be after 3 because of a Kobe coming up.
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  • Kiersten
    My son will be 3 in January and he is still in his crib. I am pregnant and so we debated moving him into a toddler bed so we can have the crib for the baby. However, he loves his crib. He has never tried to climb out. He has a very hard time with change, so we decided just not to rock the boat. We are buying a second crib and leaving him in his. And it does make it so much easier knowing he is safe and stays put when in his room! As for the potty training- very much still a work in progress. He really started pushing back and so we decided just to follow his lead and wait for him to be more ready.
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    • Anne
      I think it's smart to not try to change too much at once (like with baby arriving AND switching to a toddler bed at once)!
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  • Jessica
    Love this update. She’s precious! I too prefer toddlers all day everyday! You hit the nail on the head about the second but it’s been oh so much more enjoyable round 2! (Except still so sleepy!) Lil potty trained a month before her 3rd birthday and in like 2 days. I just let her take the lead. She would tell me when she wanted to potty and we would go for it. I’d recommend skipping pull-ups when she does seem ready (except at night). Lillian didn’t like being wet so would use them as a crutch. Once in panties it was only a couple days and minimum accidents. She will tell you when she’s ready- you’ll Know. I feel like when we push it it’s just more messes to clean! Summer is the best time too- dresses, no undies, and then accidents are easy to clean up in the backyard ?
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    • Anne
      Haha good point about summer! Fingers crossed summertime is when she decides she's ready ;)
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  • Brenna
    Love the update! My son is 14 months so I like to get a possible glimpse into the future with him. I feel the exact same way about a second baby though. I can't picture ever being ready to do pregnancy/newborn/postpartum again, so at this point, we are just content to have one.
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  • Erin
    Hi Anne! I just wanted to say that I really appreciate you sharing your honest thoughts on readiness for another pregnancy and baby. I had very similar feelings when we started thinking about a second baby, and I think it's important we talk about all of the different emotions that come when making such a huge life decision. For what it's worth, we had our second a few months ago and it has been much easier the second time around! As for potty training and moving to a toddler bed, I'm a big believer that your child will let you know when it's time for those transitions. We just tried to follow our daughter's lead and it all worked out. And I reminded myself often that every adult I know eventually figured out potty training, and she would, too. :) Best wishes!
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    • Anne
      Very true. :) Thanks, Erin!
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  • Stephanie
    2.5 was the magic age for potty training for all three of mine. It was so easy waiting until then and only took a day or two. As for crib: oldest got kicked out when she was 18 mos for her baby sister. Second transitioned out at 28 months for her baby sister. My second learned how to climb in and out of her crib before she was 2, and was climbing in and out of her high chair by 1. Rather than freak out about it and try to stop her, we made sure she was strong enough to do it without getting hurt, and just let her! Big fan of no baby gates on stairs, tents over cribs, etc., and just letting them learn how to do it safely and get stronger doing it!
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    • Anne
      That does make sense!
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  • Amelia Truett
    Hi Anne, It was fun to read the 2 year update because I remember you at the AWE meetings during pregnancy! Very happy to keep in touch via your blog, Take care!
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    • Anne
      Thank you Amelia! :) I hope you're doing well!
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  • Laura Cottam
    Hi Anne, great update! We didn’t move our first until she was 3 1/4, she loved her cot and her sleeping bag, never tried to climb out, and we only moved her so we could use the cot for the baby at 6 months! I think we’ll do a similar thing with our 2 1/4 year old, she still seems very content! And it’s definitely nice having them contained, especially at bed time when they’ll chill in their cot rather than coming up with ridiculous creative excuses for coming out, as our 5 year old does! Potty training - we never used a potty, just a little seat on the toilet with a step stool, as I didn’t want to have to clean something out and then also retrain them on something else. From about 2 we started putting her on the toilet before baths to get used to it, and eventually she started weeing and pooing when on there, but not necessarily telling us if she needed to go. But we waited til she was 3 to do 3 days of no nappy boot camp, first day lots of accidents, 2nd day 1, then none, and very few after that! I think it was good to let her guide us mainly, rather than pushing it earlier, but realised she needed to be pushed a bit when she was ready to let go of the nappies! Kept night nappies on til a couple of nights ago, as that can take longer developmentally, we didn’t want lots of accidents, and waited til she was waking up dry most nights.
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  • Katherine
    My son turns 3 in 2 weeks and he is still in a crib! He sleeps so well in it and he doesn't try to escape, so we've just let him be. We haven't started potty training him yet because he isn't very interested. My older son is 5 and was out of his crib at 2.5, and potty trained at 3. For him, we thought that was a little too soon for potty training. We used the method where you just put the kiddo in undies, and that did not work very well for us. In the end, he was potty trained in about a week, but my goodness- the mess and stress of it all was not fun! With my younger son, we plan to use pull-ups when he is just learning and be much more relaxed about the whole thing.
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    • Anne
      The relaxed approach sounds more up my alley, too :)
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  • Susan
    Our first was potty trained at 3 or 3.5, our second not until just before her 4th birthday. Rushing it was frustrating for all. When we let them decide, it was a snap. Don't rush to have another baby if you aren't ready. Mine are five years and a month apart, and I've always been really happy they're that far apart. I was ready to give another baby attention with number one in school, there was little jealousy until they got to be about five and ten, and I never had to fret about whose class party to attend and whose to miss. They're now 17 and 22 and I'm still happy I didn't have them closer together.
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    • Anne
      Thanks, Susan!
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  • Sarah
    I love your updates. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on having a second child! I know it's personal and you're not obligated to share, but it's refreshing to hear other women share their point of view. My daughter is about a year behind yours, so I feel like I get a little window into the next phase when I read your updates.
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    • Anne
      Thanks for reading! :)
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