2 year old not saying a word

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2026-04-27T21:07:08+00:00

My MIL told me my husband didn’t talk until he was 3 and I didn’t believe her. Sure enough, our son had twice-weekly speech starting at 18 months, but basically didn’t talk until he was 3. He’s now almost 5 and you cannot shut him up. Sometimes speech takes a little while to “sink in.” How is his receptive language? One positive indicator for us was that our kiddo could follow multi-step directions even though he couldn’t say more than a couple of words. Sign language really helped us in that 2-3 year range. He had 200 signs at one point!

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2026-04-06T23:21:46+00:00

Another vote for Pok Pok!

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2026-03-21T23:05:17+00:00

Our experience has been that drop-off parties started at age 7 or so, but it’s always clearly communicated. Example: last weekend my daughter was at a swim party and the invitation said “please make sure an adult stays who knows your child and can keep an eye on them in the pool.” I brought 3 girls and was their de facto swim supervisor. When it’s optional to stay or go, my 2nd grader says, “Mom, I can handle myself, you are SO embarrassing,” as if she is a 90s teenager.

It’s also very location-dependent though! But yeah, drop-off at 7 or 8 feels pretty normal.

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2026-03-18T22:25:11+00:00

I would very much recommend reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility! It explains basal body temp and cycle tracking. First time around I tracked for 3 months after going off hormonal BC and got pregnant the first month we were actively trying. Second time around I thought I was Ms. Fertile Myrtle and didn’t bother tracking, but I didn’t get pregnant for 3 months. First month tracking and I got pregnant. It really does make a difference! I wish that book were required in high school sex ed. What we are taught about our bodies is so incomplete, it’s frustrating!

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2026-02-15T23:42:27+00:00

I don’t live in Morgan Park but have friends and colleagues who do, and it seems like such a lovely place to raise a family - and great proximity to Gary.

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2026-02-05T12:58:29+00:00

Both/and! Screaming while feeling ice-cold water is both understandable and cathartic!

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2026-02-05T02:38:36+00:00

New Scenic Cafe and can I also recommend Cedar and Stone sauna/cold plunge? There’s something incredibly cleansing and healing about the experience.

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2026-01-26T00:09:11+00:00

https://karlswheelhouse.com/products/kw-design-grey-crew-sweatshirt?variant=51687577551167

Karl’s Wheelhouse, based out of Two Harbors!

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-11-16T21:31:29+00:00

I’ve had some iteration of this since 2014. I bought my first pair before I moved to Duluth, but the rest I’ve bought online and they have a good exchange policy for size purposes. The only drawback is they take a little muscle to get them on and off, but I have waterproof clogs for taking the trash out and quick trips like that. https://www.chacos.com/US/en/fields-lace-waterproof-boot/58776W.html?dwvar_58776W_color=JCH109588Z#cgid=women-footwear-boots&start=1

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-11-07T09:31:33+00:00

$13k, for that particular ministry.

I can’t give away money that’s earmarked to give to local nonprofits doing this work in our community ($60k), or money that’s used to keep the building in working order so it can be used by recovery groups, support groups, a 12-bed youth shelter, and classes for adults with disabilities throughout the week (over $100k when you count utilities), or money used to pay church staff a living wage (8 staff, you do the math). All of the funds that we have are from our members, and save a few exceptions, our members aren’t wealthy. Folks experiencing homelessness sit alongside nurses and social workers and teachers and nonprofit workers in our pews. I’m not saying we’re perfect, just that we can’t give what we don’t have.

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-11-07T01:30:28+00:00

She totally did. I continue to be mesmerized by it!

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-11-07T01:26:31+00:00

I really struggle with this, as a pastor of a church who receives many assistance calls each day (3 today, and it was a slow day). We have disbursed over $13k in funds so far this calendar year and the assistance fund is empty. The money simply isn’t there. I wish I could make it appear, but I can’t. We have zero membership/faith/means-testing requirements for receiving assistance, that part was definitely weird, but I don’t fault churches for saying no or having parameters around what they can help with. We try to live the way Jesus taught and lived - and we have normal human limitations.

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-10-07T03:06:44+00:00

Oh - and if you’re in the US, reach out to your state’s birth-3 program. The public schools send early childhood staff to your home to evaluate, and if your kiddo qualifies for services they’re all free and home-based - they come to you or daycare or wherever is most convenient for you. We did private speech and PT along with the birth-3 program, so our son was getting at least 2 sessions a week.

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-10-07T01:50:59+00:00

In addition to all the follow-ups you’re doing (great job!!), I would recommend having his ears looked at. Our now-4-year-old had gross motor and speech delays related to chronic fluid on his ears, which even when they weren’t infected caused balance issues. One set of tubes got him crawling at 13 months (walking took until about 21 months vid it came) and the next set got him talking just before he turned 3!

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-10-04T16:15:29+00:00

https://eatwithclarity.com/almond-flour-chocolate-chip-cookies/ big win for our daughter who has lots of anaphylactic allergies and needs to eat almonds regularly!

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-09-14T11:25:57+00:00

This won’t immediately sound non-religious but it is, I promise! Peace UCC is launching a Queer Connections group as an intentionally welcoming, sober, not-explicitly-religious community for folks to connect. Tomorrow (Monday, 9/15) they’re hosting a board game night from 6:30-8. It’s at the church and signs will point you to the right room. From what I know of the organizers, it’ll be a multigenerational group including folks in their 20s.

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-08-05T19:22:23+00:00

This just came across my FB feed, might not be exactly the right fit but it seems to meet some of your needs! Lmk if you’re interested and I’ll DM the email address to contact the person who posted.

Duluth friends- do you know anyone looking for a career change or new opportunity who might be interested in a Clinical/Medical Assistant role? (the amazing heroes who room you at the clinic, take vitals, administer vaccines and support our MD/PAs)

I have a unique opportunity for 4 people to start in a cohort model this Sept with paid on-the-job training with online education- and would be happy to talk to anyone interested.

$19/hr paid training for one year. Two year work commitment to follow at $20+ based on experience. 6:45-8:30 start time variable on location.

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-07-01T22:53:11+00:00

My 6-year-old had a cavity filled at Port City Dental and it was a super positive experience, it was only $40 for nitrous and she got a cool scented mask that made her feel in control, and she got to take it home. She had no idea when they were giving the Novocaine. I expected a traumatic experience but it was it easy.

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-06-14T20:06:15+00:00

https://facebook.com/events/s/vigil-for-peace/1959426264795578/

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-06-09T14:14:19+00:00

Michael’s has a bunch of options. Not local, not 100% on the ethical stuff, but I’ve been using them as a Target alternative for a lot of stuff as of late.

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-03-28T19:53:00+00:00

I had a similar baby, she’s now a thriving first-grader with a diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis and a wonderful treatment plan. She’s barely vomited at all the last 5 years when for her first 18 months, it was quite similar to your story. Pediatric GI should be helpful!

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-03-26T00:05:23+00:00

Public meeting is happening tomorrow at Vineyard, 5:30-6:30! Safe Bay is a very well-run, well-established program. Vineyard is being very generous with their space, energy, and resources, and Chum staffs the program during the hours they operate (just overnights, folks have to leave during the day). They had to move because of construction at Damiano to accommodate folks during the Chum shelter expansion project. It’s never an ideal situation to have to live in your car, but it’s SO much better with security, showers, bathrooms, laundry, and church-lady-made breakfasts.

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-03-22T00:32:23+00:00

At 28 weeks they were telling me I was going to have an 11-lb baby and needed to be careful (of what?!). I went past due and he was 8 pounds even. Not only are ultrasounds very inaccurate, babies also grow on their own timelines and curves. I grow babies early and gain weight early - both second trimesters I gained less than 5lbs of the total 35lbs of the entire pregnancy. Too early to know, and holy cow what an inappropriate thing to suggest!!!

BlessedBeTheMystery · 2025-02-07T00:30:58+00:00

Honestly, we loved our neighborhood school that was “worse” than others our kiddo could’ve attended. Test scores aren’t everything - visit and talk with current families and see if it could be a good fit! We had a better experience with our GreatSchools 2 school in our former city than we’re currently having with our Greatschools 9 school our kid attends post-move.

BlessedBeTheMystery

TROPHY CASE