Dressing a two-and-a-half-year-old requires patience and skill. You have to distract her, hold her down and amuse her while putting on clothing. It's not at all like dressing a doll. A doll sits still and doesn't cry if it's clothes are being put on. A baby squirms and struggles and screams while it's clothes are being put on. But that's not all.
First, you have to catch her. You'd be surprised at how fast babies can run when they want to. When you've caught her, you've got to show her how to make faces in the mirror to get her to quit struggling. While she's busy making faces at herself, pull on her shirt. When her head comes out, say peek-a-boo! Be careful not to pull her elbow out of joint when you put her arms through the sleeves. Lay the baby down, tickle her, then change her diaper. Being careful not to get poked in the eye by a toe, grab her legs and put them through pants. Pull the baby's socks up onto her feet and slip on her shoes. Tell a story while you brush her hair; hopefully she'll listen! When you're finished, let her down to run around. Sprinkle hugs and kisses and tickles throughout the whole thing so she'll still like you.
Like I said, dressing a two-and-a-half-year-old is difficult. You have to be careful not to get yourself hurt and not to get the baby hurt. You have to grab her attention and then work quickly. Hearing her laugh when you tickle her is the best part.