Arbor – 26 Months Old

I love documenting Arbor’s, our third daughter, development and milestones. Here is everything you want to know about Arbor at 26 months old. 

Once a baby reaches 24 months old, do you stop counting months and say, “I have a 2 year old?” I referred to my first born, Annabelle’s, by months until she was 33 months old. My second born, Ailey, was ‘2 and a couple months’ because who could keep track of that? There is so much that can change in your baby from month to month for years though! Since Arbor is our last child, I want to document her development and milestones as frequent as I can.

Arbor – 26 Months Old Stats

Height: 2 ft 11.5 in (84th percentile)
Weight: 30lbs (80th percentile)
Diapers: Size 4 Pampers Swaddlers
Shoes: Size 7
Clothes: Arbor wears 2T and sometimes 3T if it runs small
Teeth: Arbor has 16 teeth (one chipped in the front from a tumble this summer)

All About Our 26 Month Old

Arbor has entered the Terrific TWOs with flare, fire, and a little bit of grace. Despite tough emotional moments, this stage is SO much fun. Arbor is curious and excited to learn everything about the world around her. She questions every sound (“What’s that noise?!”) and seems to remember new things after just one explanation. Her observation skills are stellar – which makes it very hard to get anything past her. Arbor’s big sisters have quickly learned they can’t hide anything (treats/toys/activities) from the littlest one anymore.

Arbor’s sense of humor is amazing! She’s likes to be silly, can catch on to a joke, and enjoys making others laugh. She has a great imagination and loves pretend play (ex. she makes her Daniel Tiger figurines rub noses saying “Ugga Mugga”). We hear her giving stuffed animals voices, see her make food for her baby dolls, and act out things she sees us doing.

She LOVES to sing. If she isn’t chatting away, then she is singing. Arbor can remember songs from just one episode of Cocomelon or Daniel Tiger, or something we play on kitchen speaker. If someone calls me on the phone during the day they’re bound to hear her tiny voice carrying a tune in the background.

26 Month Old Behaviors

Unpredictable could be Arbor’s Middle Name – You just never know which Arbor you’re going to get when she calls out in the morning. Sometimes she wakes up excited and ready to take on the world. Other mornings she clings to me like a spider monkey who is too afraid to get down. Her temperament is unpredictable – but that’s healthy and normal for a two year old.

Temper Tantrums – Speaking of temperament, we have officially experienced a few toddler tantrums that left us all in tears. I also may or may not have had to carry her like a surfboard out of the library during preschool story time. I know temper tantrums are a normal part of toddlerhood; children ages 1-2 don’t know how “not getting what they want.” Young toddlers have limited language skills and get frustrated when you don’t understand they NEED a lollipop before breakfast.

More Behaviors of a 26 Month Old

Separation Anxiety – Arbor is very attached to me lately and the only time I can escape her without tears is if I say I going to yoga. I am not sure why she feels secure and confident I will return when I walk out with my yoga mat – but sometimes I have to “go to yoga” more than once a day to escape any tears.

I am sure her clinginess is related to the fact Daddy started a new job where he is unable to take breaks to go to the park. Then Mommy’s workload increased significantly, so we had to hire a nanny to come for a day once-a-week for now. Arbor did NOT like this and the first few times she came to our home it was very difficult on everyone. There was lots of screaming/crying/begging for Mommy to stay and lots of “I don’t yike her.” Thankfully as we move into our sixth week of Nanny Wednesdays, I think we are experiencing a shift in Arbor’s feelings towards her new companion.

26 Month Old Milestones

Developmental milestones are tricky because not every baby hits the them at the same time. With that being said, I have always viewed my child’s development on a broad scale. If other toddlers are doing things she is not doing, and the pediatrician says we are on track – I’m not worried!

Arbor is growing and changing every day – especially when it comes to doing things independently. She says, “No Baby do” quite a bit. She can put on some shoes by herself and is really getting good at taking off her bottoms. She can also take off her sleepsack, so sometimes we find her ‘dressed’ in interesting ways post-nap. Arbor really likes to do things by herself – which gives me mixed emotions because on one hand I want her be self-sufficient, but I also don’t like feeling she doesn’t need me as much anymore.

We started a toddler tumbling class at the big sisters’ dance studio where Arbor can run, jump, slide and play for 30 minutes once a week. There is a lot of, “Mommy look at me!” during the class. She calls her new favorite activity “dance class” and begs to go to the studio every day. I’m beginning to think I should have just enrolled her in the Tiny Dancer class last September. Arbor loves music, she loves to dance around the house, and can follow along with activity songs (ex: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.)

Arbor is a chatterbox with the ability to talk at 100 miles an hour. Most of the time she is very easy to understand but others – let’s just say she has her own language. We love how she has her own way of saying some words, like “Cocobus = Cocomelon” and “Meek = Mail truck.” Sometimes her big sisters try to correct her vocabulary, but I remind them she will eventually say the right words on her own. I love her little language and never want to forget it!

A peek at the life of a 26 month old

Arbor’s 26 Month Old Favorites

Favorite Foods: ‘Cold Ice Cream’ (popsicles), ‘Chee-burger’ (McDonalds with all the toppings), dipping things into Chick-Fil-A Sauce (or eating it alone), ‘bowl of milk’ (cereal), ‘fruit strips,’ scrambled eggies, sausage, black or kalamata olives, fruit pouches (Peter Rabbit brand), applesauce, peanut butter, jelly, shredded cheese, meepios (marshmallows) or anything sweet she can get her hands on like a lollipop or candy cane

Favorite Books: Daniel Tiger “You Are Special” borrowed from the library or anything ‘Daniel Tigey’, Duck and Goose books, board books with peek-a-flaps, “My First I See You” by Eric Carle

Favorite Songs: “Spinning (A-round)” by Charli XCX and The 1975, “Hang on Sloopy,” Bedtime songs are “Santa Clause is Coming to Town,” “You are my Sunshine.” Arbor can sing every song on Cocomelon (and does all day long).

Favorite Things to Do: build forks (forts), be outside, go to the neighborhood park, ride her bike, take care of her Babies (new Bitty Baby and old BB named Muffin), watch Daniel Tigey, Bounce Patrol (I wish I could write how she says it) and Cocobus or Bebe Finn. She loves to watch “Tiny Cakes” which is a Tiny Baking show on YouTube Kids. Speaking of baking, she is very interested in helping/watching me cook while standing on a chair. Arbor likes to play ‘Market’ with Ailey where everything costs $6.49 – they use paper shopping bags and a cash register. She enjoys watching you build with blocks only to knock them down while giggling, drawing on her table top easel, reading books to herself, playing in the running water in the bathroom sink OR her play sink. Arbor likes to brush her teeth, put on Mommy’s makeup, play doctor checkup, go to the library, sing and dance, and go to ‘dance’ at Fusion (toddler tumble time).

Things Arbor Does Not Like at 26 Months Old

Foods she does NOT like: anything creamy or cheesy or with sauce, assembled sandwiches/tacos (she takes it apart), and pretty much most ‘new’ foods. She’s become very loyal to her favorites and it can be hard to get her to try something new!

Things she does NOT like: the word NO when she really wants to do something in particular, very loud unfamiliar noises (the shop vac freaked her out), not having free reign over big sisters’ bedroom

Want to read about my other daughters toddler development and milestones? Here are summaries of Annabelle at 22 Months Old and Ailey at 2 Years Old.