Month 14 - Recap

My darling bear,
Another month has passed and you still show very little desire for horizontal movement.  You do, however, show a lot of desire (and a heckuva lot of skill) for vertical movement.  You're a climber.  And to be honest, I haven't the foggiest idea how to manage a climber.  You climb on top of people.  You climb on boxes.  You climb on top of chairs.  Sometimes you push the aforementioned chair to a table, climb up on the chair, then climb onto the table.  Then cry when you can't get down.  One of your favorite things to do is climb onto Natalie's bed, crawl to the other end of the bed, climb down from her bed, climb back ONTO her bed, crawl to the other end, climb down from her bed and repeat.  I have to admit, I'm pretty impressed with how well you climb down from her bed.  You figured out on your own that you need to use the Scooch Yourself Down From the Bed by Going Backwards approach, rather than the Dive Headfirst onto the Floor approach.  That's not to say that you never use the Dive Headfirst onto the Floor approach. You do; it's just not on purpose.

So even though the horizontal movement hasn't come yet, it's looming on the horizon.  Just in the past week, you've gotten more and more comfortable standing without holding onto anything.  I know my world is going to get 10 times crazier with you walking, but I so can't wait for that to happen.  Natalie is going to flip her lid over having someone else to play tag with.  Even if, for a while until you get sure-footed, it'll be the slowest game of tag in history.

In keeping the tradition alive, you are a pro at the Scruncher Bear face.  It's hilarious (to me, at least) how pretty much the first thing you and your sister learned was to do the Scruncher Bear face on command.  Natalie chose the mouth-closed approach; you, however, opt for the mouth-open-and-bearing-your-teeth approach.  Both rock.

You had a double ear infection this month.  I probably should have realized earlier that something was wrong when you pitched a fit every time I sat you down or every time I walked to the kitchen or, really, every time I breathed.  I assumed it was teething.  And while your mouth might have hurt, it was definitely your ears that were giving you fits.  Thankfully after two days of being on antibiotics, my sweet mellow Bear was back in full, rascal-y force.  Side note: please work on your Tugging on Your Ear motion.  Because you didn't do it.  And that's the easiest way to tell if a non-talker has an ear infection.  So I'd appreciate it if you took some ownership of my slowness in taking you to the pediatrician.  Had you tugged on your ear on Day 1, we could have avoided the several days of screaming and misery.  Just some food for thought.

Speaking of teething, the great Tooth Count still holds steady at four.  Can I put in an order for a molar or two?  You'd probably like some more foods if you were able to chew more effectively.  Just a suggestion.

You're a big fan of OPF (Other People's Food).  You can't stand for someone to eat in front of you without them offering you what they have.  Even if what they have is the exact same thing that you have in front of you.  The exact same thing that you have in front of you THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY EATING (or CURRENTLY DROPPING ON THE FLOOR).  If you see someone eating, you immediately drop whatever food you're holding and point and squawk at the food they're eating.  This makes you a gigantic punk.  A gigantic punk who hasn't realized that his momma does NOT fix special meals for people.  So just because you don't like what I put in front of you, it doesn't mean that what I'm eating is any different.  What you eat, I eat.  And what I eat, you squawk at me until I give you some.  And then you're all disappointed when you see that what I'm eating wasn't a cupcake.  It's best you learn this now: I save the cupcakes for after you and your sister go to bed. 

Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy

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Headlines for January 9, 2013:

• Giant squid caught on film in natural habitat
• Hospitals overflowing with flu patients
• Obama open to full Afghanistan withdrawal after 2014
• Drinking diet soda linked to depression 
• Lance Armstrong to talk doping scandal with Oprah
• Couple launches protest after city threatens to fine them $500 a day for garden in yard 
• AJ McCarron is currently the reigning Miss Alabama Katherine Webb.

20 Questions from a Four-Year-Old

I love seeing how her answers change from year to year  (Last year's answers are italicized)

1. What is your favorite color? Yellow (Yellow)
2. What is your favorite toy? My dollhouse (Fishing rod)
3. What is your favorite fruit? Grapes (Apples and strawberries and oranges)
4. What is your favorite TV show? Big Big Friend (Little Einsteins)
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Turkey and cheese (Cheese)
6. What is your favorite outfit? My soup shirt [that says Miso Cute] (Shirt and pants)
7. What is your favorite game? Candy Land (Hungry Hungry Hippos)
8. What is your favorite snack? Grapes (Granola bar)
9. What is your favorite animal? Doggie (Doggies)
10. What is your favorite song? Hark the Herald Angels Sing (Silent Night)
11. What is your favorite book? Skippy Jon Jones in the Doghouse (Moo Baa La La La)
12. Who is your best friend? Kendall (Eliana)
13. What is your favorite cereal? Honey Nut Cheerios (Banana and milk cereal)
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play ball (Play ball)
15. What is your favorite drink? Lemonade (Water)
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas (Easter)
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Lauren Bear (Elephant and Lauren Bear)
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cereal (Banana)
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Pizza (Blueberries)
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? A chef (A princess)

2012 - Year End Review

Happy 4th Birthday, my precious little peach.

You're FOUR.  FOUR YEARS OLD.  A quarter of the way to a DRIVER'S LICENSE.  How on Earth is that even possible?  Daddy would like to keep you this age forever.  While I do like this age, I'm willing to let you get a bit older to see what antics you concoct this year.  You're quite possibly the funniest kid to ever walk the planet, and it's been my utmost pleasure spending these last four years with you.  Here are your Top 10 lists.

Top 10 Things You Love:

1. Eating
2. Dancing
3. Playing with Charlie
4. Tackling Daddy when he comes home from work
5. Jumping on the bed
6. Putting together puzzles
7. Taking pictures (you specialize in off-center, out-of-focus random items)
8. Your preschool teacher
9. Anything sparkly, glittery, and all-around girly
10. Playing at the park

Top 10 Things You Don't Love:

1. Brushing your teeth (for someone who likes doing MATH problems, it strikes me as strange that you freak out over brushing your TEETH.)
2. Playing by yourself
3. Chilli (4 years, going strong)
4. Baths (4 years, going strong)
5. Bugs (4 years, going strong)
6. Loud noises (4 years, going strong)
7. Toilets and hand dryers that flush/dry automatically
8. Eating your vegetables before I'll give you the fun stuff (mac and cheese, a biscuit, fruit, dessert, etc)
9. Santa.  And not because you know he's not real.  Because the movie Rise of the Guardians freaked you out. 
10. Avocados.  You SAY you don't like them, but I think you're a big, fat faker.  

Top 10 Things You're Good At:

1. Writing your name
2. Spelling
3. Sounding out a ton of words
4. Singing lots and lots and lots (and lots and lots and lots ...) of songs
5. Being a big ol' sassypants
6. Teaching Charlie new things (you especially like telling him about colors and shapes.  And 'teaching' him about not touching your stuff.  *sigh*)
7. Going to the bathroom
8. Flossing your teeth
9. Making people laugh (seriously, the things that come out of your mouth are enough to crack a London guard)
10. Math (adding, subtracting, and counting to 100 are your favorites. *cough*nerd*cough*)

Top 10 Things You're Not Good At:

1. Staying in bed - after we tuck you in at night, you come back into the living room no fewer than three times with a plethora of problems.  You can't find your teddy bear (it's usually right beside you), your blankets are "cattywampus" (no they're not), your mouth hurts (maybe it does - you cry wolf so much that we're not sure whether or not you're for real), you're thirsty (you have a cup right beside your bed), you have to go to the bathroom (then go!  You don't need our help!), you're scared of the dark (that's why you sleep with a lamp on), you're wondering what Daddy and I are doing in the living room (eating all the fun food and watching anything other than Strawberry Shortcake).  Even though we have a rule that if you get up after we've tucked you in, you get your Big Girl Privileges (all of your stuffed animals [except for one] and books) taken away for the night, you still venture out of bed. 
2. Focusing on one task (particularly cleaning up).  You'll start cleaning up something (blocks, for instance) and then you'll make it into a game where you have to pick up all the yellow blocks first.  Then you realize you need a basket to put all the yellow blocks in.  So you look for a basket, but realize that your basket is full of your pretend food from your kitchen.  So you'll want to make me a 'Clean Up Snack'.  While you're making me a snack, you realize that your oven is full of Charlie's toys.  So you'll put all of Charlie's toys back in his toy box.  When you go back to your kitchen, you see your water cup sitting on the stove.  You'll ask for more water.  After you have your cup, you'll wander around the living room singing a song about drinking water (probably to the tune of Hark The Herald Angels Sing ["I love drink-ing wa-a-A-ter, *I* love drink-ing wa-a-TER...").  Singing that song will remind you that you want to watch yourself singing "Good Morning" on YouTube.  After you watch that video, you'll want to watch videos of when you were younger.  When you get to the video where you pronounce an "L" like a "Y", you'll want me to talk about what words you mispronounced when you were little.  I will strategically say "yellow", and you'll giggle and say "yey-yow".  And then pick up the yellow block.  Which will remind you that you were supposed to be cleaning up.  (Yes, you are a real life version of "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie").
3. Asking a question only once.  Holy MOLY dude.  You have GOT to learn to give me a chance to answer a question before you ask it again.  I realize I don't answer questions as quickly as you'd like, but seriously.  My brain can't process "MommycanIhaveasnack?MommycanIhaveasnack?MommycanIhaveasnack?MommycanIhaveasnack?".  It makes my brain want to pop out of my head and hide in the closet.
4. Hiding your emotions.  When you're grumpy, you huff and puff and grouse and sulk and stomp around like a sullen teenager.  When you're happy, you squeal and jump and laugh and dance and run around like a crazy person.   
5. Not getting frustrated.  This is when it is confirmed that you're my child.  If you can't figure something out the first time, you get super frustrated your whole demeanor changes to mimic Eeyore ("woe is me .... I'll never figure this out ...").   I regret to inform you that you inherited this lovely quality from me.  My bad.
6. Keeping your toys organized for longer than five minutes.  For someone who is as particular as you are, you certainly think it's hee-larious to dump everything from your toy bins (that were so lovingly labeled by yours truly) into one big bucket.  Like a gigantic toy fruitcake.
7. Apologizing, when it was an accident.  You seem to understand why you need to apologize if you were disrespectful; you do not, however, seem to understand that you also need to apologize if what you did was an accident.  If you accidentally bump into another child at the park, you need to apologize.  If you accidentally kick me in the head in the middle of a Tickle Throwdown, you need to apologize.  If you accidentally dump 1/4 cup of brining spices on your brother's head because you forgot to be careful when you were stiring them, you need to apologize.  And in each of those instances, you pitched some ROYAL fits over having to apologize.  Fits that got you into trouble, when the thing you originally did, did NOT get you into trouble.
8. Sitting still when you eat.  You're up, you're down, you're turning around, you're shaking your head, you're physically incapable (or so it seems) to be still and eat.  I'm tempted to put you back in a highchair.  Wearing a straitjacket.
9. Being told the 'right' thing to say/do.  When you prance around the house singing "Park the herald angels sing ..." and I say "Actually, baby girl, it's 'Hark'", you protest "But I'm doing it the KIDDO way."  When you move waaaaaaaaaay too many spaces during Candy Land, and I call you on it, you say "But Momma, this is the KIDDO way of playing.  So it's cool.  Don't worry."
10. Differential equations.  Four years, going strong. 

From January 2012 to December 2012, you've gone from someone who was refused to take off her diaper to someone who's BFFs with every toilet she sees.  You've gone from a slightly fearful child to someone who's still fearful but who's also done some really brave things this year (started preschool, rode on a zipline, walked across a rope bridge, conquered your paralyzing fear of being diaper-less, climbed up and over a really tall tower at the park, etc).  You've gone from someone who's insanely funny to someone who's insanely funny AND silly.  Good heavens with the nonstop silliness.  It's exhausting.  And hysterical.  You've gone from someone who was the big sister to an unmoving little lump named Charlie to a big sister to a whirlwind little rascal who you call Charlie Badooski.  You are the BEST big sister to Charlie.  You still have some issues with him looking at (let alone playing with) some of your toys, but you're also really kind to him.  You bring him (or, you know, throw at him) toys and books if he's grumpy.  You sing silly songs to him to make him laugh.  You play endless rounds of peekaboo with him, just because you know how much he likes it.

A particularly awful thing happened earlier this month.  And it stopped me in my tracks (and stopped my heart from beating a few beats).  It refocused me and helped me to be thankful for every thing this season of your life throws at me.  I'm thankful for your sassiness - it reminds me to thank Bob over and over again for putting up with me through my sassy years (that I still think I'm in ...).  I'm thankful for your fits of frustration - it shows me you want to be good at everything you try.  I'm thankful for your whiny and/or teary goodbyes when I drop you off at preschool, the gym, or at Sunday School - it shows me you love me and miss me when we're not together.  I'm thankful for your incessant singing - it shows me how creative you are, and reminds me how singing is a good, relaxing outlet for you.  I'm thankful for YOU, my sweet angel girl.  You are so cherished, so loved, and such a little punk.  And I couldn't be any prouder to call you mine.

Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy

December 2012 - Recap

My sweet little puddin', 
So yeah.  I'm THAT mom.  With THAT girl.  You know, that mom with that girl who informed her three-year-old preschool class that Santa is just a guy in a costume.  *facepalm*  Now I know there are different schools of thought on the whole Santa thing.  Daddy and I have chosen the route of "Santa is a fun, kind character but not an actual person" route.  [We will, however, teach you about the generosity and kindness of the real Saint Nicholas.]  I think some kids are fine having the truth about Santa's existence told to them when they're older.  But you, my darling, I think would have run straight into Nuclear Meldown Mode of the Highest Degree if we had waited until you were older to break the news.  So instead of ever letting you believe he's real, we told you right away.  And it hasn't diminished your excitement about Christmas one bit.  You still giggle and squeal when you see Santa (from a distance of course.  You've got no desire to get too close), but you also know that Santa isn't what Christmas is all about.  It's about Jesus and celebrating His birth.  We are commanded to be in the world, not of the world.  And Santa is very much in our world.  In my opinion, there's no point in trying to shield you from every worldly thing (within reason, of course.  I'm okay with you knowing who Santa is.  I'm NOT, however, okay with you knowing the lyrics to Top 40 songs.)  I want Christmas to be a magical time for you.  Not magical in the sense of "Oh wow!  Look at all these presents I got!" but magical in the sense of "Oh wow!  I love all the lights, the fun songs, the time spent with family, and the celebration of Jesus' birth!"

Speaking of Santa, he came to your preschool.  And you were having NONE of it.  Not because you know he's just a dude in a costume, but because of a movie you saw last month.  You saw a movie where Santa wasn't portrayed as his typical big, jolly, kind self.  He wasn't mean in the movie, but he was giant, gruff, and very lean.  And you were terrified that Preschool Santa was going to be like Movie Santa.  I tried my best to reassure you, but it wasn't happening.  No biggie.  You checked him out from a distance and decided you'd rather eat chocolate chip cookies than sit with Santa.  Can't say I blame you.  Those cookies were delish.

Girlfriend, you are straight up READING.  Not everything, of course.  But we'll be driving around and you'll say "Mommy, why does that sign say 'ONE WAY' on it?"  Or we'll be at Publix and you'll see the Coinstar machine and say "Hey Mommy!  That big machine says 'NO FEE'!  What's a fee?"  It floors me.  You try your hardest to sound out words, and thanks to the impossibility that is the English language, you sometimes have a tough time (case in point: tough. You think it should be pronounced 'tuh-oo-guh-huh'.  I tend to agree with you.  English is whack.)

Your current favorite phrase is "Charlie, noooooooo!"  Ahh, yes.  Sibling love.  Wherein the younger sibling just wants to do everything the older sibling is doing, which TOTALLY rubs the older sibling the wrong way and causes her to whine and moan and grouse every time the younger sibling makes a motion toward her.  You have a little brother.  He thinks you're fabulous.  He wants to investigate everything you're doing.  It's like having your own personal fan club; enjoy it.  And if you have to whine about the trials of having a younger sibling, please call Aunt KK.  She'll be happy to commiserate with you.  For this situation, I'm on the side of the younger sibling.

Daddy and I got you a marble run for Christmas.  You were so excited by it, but I have to admit - the gift was also for us.  It's as much fun for you to watch the marble travel down the different designs we make, as it is for Daddy and I to make the designs.  It's a total nerd gift, and it fits right into our house, the House o' Nerds.  Aunt KK liked it so much that a few hours after seeing it, she bought a set for her and Uncle Mike to play with.  She SAYS it's for when you come to visit them at their house, but I know the truth.  So does she.  Ha.

Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy

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Headlines for January 1, 2013:

• Ball Touches Down in New York City's Times Square, Marking Start of 2013
• Senate Approves 'Fiscal Cliff' Deal, Sends to House
• Clinton's Clot Was Life Threatening
• 6 Pakistani Teachers Killed in Ambush
• 'Mary Tyler Moore Show' House for Sale