Two and a Half

Girl is officially two and a half. For some reason this seems exceedingly old to me. She is learning so much and at such an alarming rate. She "gets" things. Like, really really understands things I say and what they mean. And her memory is a steel trap. If I mention doing something {in a few hours, tomorrow, next week, etc.}, it best be happening.

She's just started enjoying movies...which is both positive and negative, I suppose. Her "faborite faborite" movie is Toy Story. She picked it out herself as her special prize for keeping her underwear dry 15 times. {Yes, potty training is still a work-in-progress but she is doing great!} She gets so excited when she sees Buzz or Woody or whomever else she actually recognizes. And honestly, I like it so much better than Elmo. {Sorry, Elmo.}

She loves listening to her own music..."my music." Her favorite is definitely "We are the Dinosaurs," but "Wheels on the Bus" and "Itsy Bitsy" are still pretty dope in her book. She used to like MY music, but now not so much. She is demanding. And adamant. And dances to her music, so we deal. {Or I deal I should say...it seems to seriously drive Brad insane.}

She continues to play well independently and often tells me to leave so she can "do it myself!" Including much of the bathroom routine. I watch proudly from the crack in the door as she really can do it by herself! Stools help. She likes to play in my bathroom cupboard but always puts everything back where it belongs, so I don't mind much. "What's this?" and "What's that?" are the most common phrases heard in our household, I'm fairly certain. Also: "where you going?" and "what you doing?" She speaks in full-on sentences but still can't pronounce her "L's" and mixes up some other letters, adorably so.

She's fascinated by stop signs and LOVES pointing them out. I recently taught her about yield signs and now that's another favorite to spot. School buses (or any kind of bus) are the coolest things ever. Trains and planes and motorcycles too.

Resisting sleep is still going strong. For probably a year now she has laid in bed awake, seemingly pondering her day, for sometimes upwards of an hour. And it seemed like she just needed that downtime. She would still go to bed easily and stay quiet but awake. FINE. But lately it is more like two hours. And she has combined it with every delay tactic you can think of and maybe some yelling and screaming thrown in there. And throwing things. It's awful. Bedtime used to be a breeze. And even enjoyable. But it's been months since I could say that. For some reason, she doesn't always put up such a fight when Brad puts her down and I REALLY want to know his technique. It sometimes makes it better when we go back in and accommodate her, but sometimes it makes it way, way worse, so I'm kind of a loss. I dread bedtime. And that makes me sad. So much negotiating with these tiny people!

She has a new friend at school that she made all by herself. She talks about her at home and everything. It makes her seem so grown up. And now when I ask her what she did when I pick her up from school she (occasionally) tells me! Real details! They're typically hard to decipher but we try.

Her current favorite toys include: dinosaurs, her babies (and their clothes, bottles, blankets), dollhouse, bean bin, tea set, blocks, magnetic dress-up dolls, puzzles, gifts bags she uses as purses to "put stuff in," pull toys (frog, alligator), crayons, school bus, and her tricycle. 

She still loves the beach and LOVES swimming now. We got a new float and it's awesome. It's nice to have the beach so close, but I wouldn't mind having some cooler temperatures...any day now.

She's about 25 lbs, which is still quite a lightweight but she's our long and lean girl. She likes to dress herself and still insists on wearing "comfy clothes" for naps. She still likes a million blankets and allllll of her "friends" to be in bed with her.

She loves counting things...usually there are TWO of everything {"I'm two!"} but also three, five, or ten. She sings A LOT. But mostly in bed. Her usuals: ABCs, twinkle twinkle, itsy bitsy, the ever-popular happy birthday song. She reads books to herself--usually while doing her business (ahem). Going on a Bear Hunt and Five Little Monkeys are the tops.

Whenever I talk about our baby, she's not all that interested except to note that she has her own baby growing in her belly. But the other day she wanted to say HI to the baby, so I took that as a good sign. We do talk about how she is going to be a big sister and be mama's helper when the baby comes. We read her Big Sister book (when she picks it) but overall I'm just trying to find the balance of not making a big deal out of it, but still talking about it regularly. I'm a wee bit nervous about the whole transition for her, but people do this all the time so I know it's going to be okay.

The girl can throw a mean fit. Like raging her face off fit. I have to remind myself that she has a lot of BIG feelings inside that little body and sometimes they just need to come out. I always always always feel better when I stay calm and in control of the situation, so that is my goal. Although holy wow can it be challenging.

WELL. There is the little miss in a nutshell. A very large, very long nutshell. Since I never kept up with an actual baby book, this is it. DEAL WITH IT.

All in all, I love that little monkey. Even when she cries when I come to pick her up from other people's houses and she screams, MOMMY NO. Even then.

"I'm two."

Ever since she turned two, Millie can tell me/you/anyone who cares that she's two years old. And sometimes she will tell you that she will be three. You know, next year. She can basically carry on a conversation and understands mostly everything we are talking about (Bradley and I do a lot of spelling these days). But she does not perform-on-demand...she speaks when she chooses. Otherwise she's a mute. She tells stories (that I can usually grasp) and makes up songs (or asks me to) and imagines her own little world. Where she is the boss, of course. 

She's started to wear big girl underwear and (mostly) uses the toilet. It's pretty incredible. And also can be incredibly frustrating. It probably was not the smartest idea to start the training one week before our Michigan/Chicago adventures. We're getting there. "I hafta pee" is the newest bedtime delay tactic. But we are so proud of her. And she is proud of herself, which is the most important part.

She is silly and persistent and reserved and wild and has a mind ALLLL her own. She has hair, too. Which is also wild. She likes to play with her tea set, color, play with her bean bin, go to the beach, swim, paint, look at pictures on my phone (mostly of herself), take care of her babies, go for bike rides, read books, play pianos, play cars, eat baked goods, play hide-and-seek, dress and undress her babies and put them to sleep, eat snacks, go for walks to the park, "stay home," run errands, stand on chairs/couches/stools, see what we're doing, walk up and down stairs solo, exclaim, "I DO IT," smell oils, drink out of a big glass, brush hair, sing happy birthday (still), talk about being a big sister (and tell me that there is a baby growing in HER belly too), get m&m's for doing her business, fill containers, jump on beds, pick out her own clothes, carry her bag, etc. 

Some of her favorite phrases include: where you going, what you doing, DO IT, five more minutes, one more blanket (STILL), my _____ hurts, I'm running!, I need my mama (when I am RIGHT THERE), Millie's turn, I wake up!, salt water, I like this, I be right back (usually said quietly with a finger up), I wanna play something, help me, I NEED that, daddyO (still going strong), that's so silly, and so much more. 

She's my favorite and I tell her all the time. You know, when I'm not about to pull my hair out. But she really is my favorite thing. My buddy. My sweet. She knows what she wants and when she wants it and tries with all her might to get it. She is persistent and thoughtful and funny and serious and gives the absolute best hugs around.

 

I've been absolutely horrible about taking pictures with my real camera lately, so these iPhone pics will have to do. These are from our recent trips in Michigan. Good times, Great Lakes.

Tilly and the beanSSS

Well, just one "S."

That's right folks, there is another bean on the way! Probably a pinto bean since I have been craving Mexican food since pretty much day 1. Even when I could barely eat a thing, I wanted tacos, burritos, salsa, etc. etc. And I still do. Actually, that's not all that different from regular old life. But anyway.

The details!
I'm just about 17 weeks along (tomorrow), so the expected arrival is sometime the first week of December. I think it's pretty cool that the babe will have a 12/12 birthday of sorts. I like symmetry. This time the first trimester completely, fully, and wholly beat my ass. On a daily basis. I was a total mess. I mean, I know it could've been way worse, but apparently I'm much wimpier than I thought because I was kinda miserable. Even though I wasn't actually getting sick, I just felt tired and listless and nauseous and just plain yuck for like 5 weeks straight. I had some up moments, but overall I had the sickness. But no worries--I'm back to normal now! I eat, I exercise, I leave the house, I talk to people. You know, normal healthy people things.

Because this pregnancy is so different that with Millie, we are forced to speculate that it's a boy. You know with all the boy hormones and boy parts and stuff. But, as you may recall, I also thought that Millie was a boy and we all know how wrong I was about that. So who knows! We won't know until the little tito makes his/her grand entrance.

I have been jotting little notes when I remember to, but clearly not as detailed as the first time around. Oh! And another MAJOR difference is that I'm basically showing. Already. I mean, not really but kinda. There is definitely a belly poking out. I'm patiently (or not-so-patiently) waiting for it to round out and look like a pregnant belly bump instead of a fatty watermelon pouch. But I basically look now at 4+ months how I looked with Mills at 6+months. So there that is.

My notes (no pressure to read this...mostly for my own crazy self):

4w
-found out that baby was growing!
-felt mostly normal
-metal taste in mouth one day
-just knew
-took preg test--negative--but took it too early
-tired
-took another test--POSITIVE

5w
-sleepy in the middle of the day
-emotional
-a bit of food aversion (make something awesome but can only eat two/three bites)
-slight boob tenderness
-kinda scared to lose you but trying to trust/have faith
-decided to wait to tell people (even family) until we hear heart beat
-zumba was HARD
-started running again

6w
-suuuuuper sleepy (especially in the middle of the day)
-tender breasts (most days and in the middle of the night)
-hard to eat during the day but breakfast and dinner seem ok mostly
-wanting dessert

7w
-sick sick sick sick--all day nauseous!
-forcing food down
-random food cravings (bbq potato chips, ice cream, root beer)
-no exercise (boo)
-and yes, boobs still tender

8w
-saw baby and heart beat!!
-measuring 7w5d which is great
-169 hb
-still have the sickness
-midwife said 8w is the peak of sickness

9w
-still feeling sick and no energy
-starting to eat more regular stuff
-sleeping pretty well
-met with new home birth midwife but it was too early to hear hb with doppler
-trying to eat a little something frequently
-trying to eat something if/when wake up in night...apples are SAVING ME
-days straight on couch
-NO energy
-dinner party for BJN birthday! Made everything from scratch! Didn't pass out!
-went to Montessori gala and then HISB at crawfish fest--worn out all Sunday but still made it to the beach

10w
-starting to feel better!
-eating meals, lots of fruit
-more energy but still no real exercise
-really want to be eating better for this baby
-mother's day weekend--B is doing ALL meals and ALL bedtimes!

11w
-still not feeling that great but starting to eat more normal
-get starving and HAVE TO EAT immediately
-going on walks/bike rides
-morning smoothies are back!

12w
-prenatal yoga! completely wiped me out afterward
-have gained 1lb
-eating normally--salads and smoothies and even fish tacos!
-friends visited for Memorial Day weekend!
-still having certain cravings
-lots of apples, fruit, iced decaf  coffees (obsessed)
-feeling almost back to normal--YAY

13w
-exercising full on again!
-eating normal!
-more energy but still liking to try to nap or at least lie down in the afternoon while M naps
-worked all week long at MSP

14w
-second tri!
-feeling normal, eating normal, exercising normal (pilates, yoga, cardio)
-B went to Chicago--just me and Mills
-had a rough weekend solo--torrential downpours trapped us at home
-think I might be starting to feel some baby flutters but not sure

15w
-worked out 5x!
-first time for sure baby kicks: 15w3d
-went to a super fun party and stayed out late and even had few sips of wine spritzer
-feeling good
-weird peeing maybe because of my tilted ute
-craving lettuce! and veg!
-eating a LOT it seems but prob not too much...just in comparison
-bought maternity clothes because I NEED them
-belly growing quicker
-3 lbs gained so far
-tired but sleeping is restless at times and peeing lots in the night

16w
-still eating, working out, feeling normal
-peeing less in the night but allergies act up in the middle of the night...no bueno
-preparing for our big road trip to MI/Chi
-took M to the local pool
-potty training! (deserves it's own post)
-feeling large--nothing fits or looks good
-big storm supposed to be on its way but it never really comes


And we're up to date!

And a couple pictures (like the only ones I've taken in the past 4 months) of Millie for good measure:

 And yes, apparently I am still obsessed with stripes.

Two+1month

Or 23 months. If we were still counting in months. But we're NOT. So, at two plus one month Millie is quite the character. We've had so many changes and transitions and adjustments and new things going on in our lives lately. In her life.

She started "school" a few weeks ago {first day of school pic above}. As in, I drop her off and she stays there by herself. Without me. For 3 1/2 hours. Two times a week. I wouldn't say it's been "traumatic," but it kinda has. For me. She seems okay with it. Although last week she said she didn't want to go both mornings {Home! No school!} and cried when we got to the parking lot and was a little weepy when I left. But this morning? She waved goodbye. So I'm pretty sure she's transitioning well. Me on the other hand...I'm a bit of a mess without her! I feel guilty about leaving her. And I miss my errand buddy. I mean, she's only TWO. She's still a baby! But not really. Because she's getting so big and independent and even pooping on the toilet {occasionally}. She is fairly quiet at school I hear. That comes as no surprise, although I'm sure as she gets more and more comfortable with her teachers {she actually said iloveyoubye to Miss Amy last time} she will be more of her usual chatty-mcgee-self. Because at home there is a constant dialogue. It's like she is our own personal home reporter.



Some favorite phrases {that she's said today}:
-Mix it up
-Mama, tea party?
-My dress/shirt/hat/shoes... wearing it
-mailman!
-bean box!
-waking up!
-beans and rice
-mama do it/i/millie do it
-all done with this
-there it is!
-pizza! {for breakfast}
-yelp {milk}
-tutu-wawa {coconut water}
-when asked what her name is: "Amia"
-when asked how old she is: "two" while holding up two, maybe three fingers
-ABC's! {she can recognize most letters correctly and loves to sing the song}
-other shoe, get it
-mommy's phone, get it
-banket {blanket}--she says this in the middle of the night {grr!}
-she tries to sing "You are my sunshine" along with me and asks for it at bedtime {and sings it to her animal friends when she puts them to "night night"}
-goodnight mama/daddyO
-iloveyoubye
-HIDING! {she loves to hide}
-peetabo {peekaboo}
-more wawa peese
-millie's helmet
-go fast
-millie's sleeping
-yucky...trash...throw it in trash
-watch elmo {rarely happens}
-i see you
-elmo walk {she likes to put him in her baby stroller and take him for a walk around the neighborhood. it takes FOREVER. good times.}
-BEACH!
-she sings Happy Birthday Amia ALL DAY LONG.
-No _______!
-she can count to 13 {it usually goes 3,4,5,7,8,9,12,13}
-where subie go? see jeep?
-move the chair
-tink you {thank you}
-mooey chair/phone/cracker/cheese/wawa/etc. {millie's chair}
-etc. etc



As you can see, there is a lot of communication going on these days and I like it. Although, you know, she's two. So we still have a lot of meltdowns and a lot of acting out. I have to keep her nails short. But we're growing and learning and adapting and changing. All of us.



We also love love love the beach in this house. ALL of us. She asks to go to the beach ALL THE TIME. In fact, she asked when she woke up this morning. It was raining. But she loves to play in the sand and we are forced to fill buckets the whole time we are there. So she can dump them out. Or rinse off her hands in them. But mainly so she can dump them out. Immediately. More good times! We went to the beach on the bay side this weekend where it's calm and warmer and she can basically walk in. It stays shallow for quite a ways--so thrilling for her. She likes to chase the tide. And be chased by it. She likes to go fast and play rough and be tossed around. It's fun.

She loves to shake her little hips. Like this:


And some other stats:

-22 lbs {still a lightweight}
-18-24 or 24 month clothes
-sleeps 7ish-7ish but has been waking up lately asking for blankets {I'm trying to teach her how to pull them up herself.}
-she sleeps with at least three blankets {if you may have forgotten, we live in Florida and she wakes up SWEATY but she likes it so who knows}
-still hates to have her washed
-loves to be outside {OUTSIIIIIIIDE}
-has cuuuuuuurly brown hair and BIG brown eyes {my family genes dominate!}
-has a shockingly good sense of direction
-stopped sleeping with a "seep-sap" this month--wasn't as big of a deal as we thought but now we have the blanket issue...so, hmm.
-still a great {and healthy} eater despite what the scale says
-obsessed with "gasses" or "sunnies" {I probably haven't helped the cause since she owns 5 pairs}
-she loves big kids, especially all of her 6 cousins {but she's not the youngest anymore!}, and got to see all of them this past month


All in all, she's a spunky silly strong smart adorable shy assertive funny social special little girl. I think we'll keep her.

TWO

Miss Mills is now TWO years old. No more measuring her life in months. We're in years, buddy. She's kind of a big deal now, dontchaknow. She's even speaking in sentences. That is how much of a big deal she is. Yeah, she might misuse {or not use} proper nouns and prepositions, but DEWAI.

Here's a little video I made to commemorate her second year of being a part of our family and a part of this world. We couldn't imagine it any other way. She's the biggest blessing. She cracks us up. She makes us smile. She is the cutest little thing I ever did see. She is smart and sassy. And she gets it. Like, really really gets it. She astounds me. Challenges me. Entertains me. Hits, pinches, and kicks me. Feeds me. Squeezes me. Kisses me. Hugs me. Tickles me. Jumps on me. Amazes me. Bosses me. Shows me. Asks me. Befuddles me. Shares with me. Pulls me. Prods me. Scolds me. Holds me. Loves me.

Happy Second Birthday, Miss Amelia Lee.
Love you, love you, love you.

{I finally got the video to work but had to remove the video clips--total bummer. But still, here it is.}

deuce-deuce

Big changes are upon us and the little. Tomorrow we will be embarking on our biggest adventure yet. We are moving down south! {And just in time for Chicago's first snow storm--thanks Chicago, PREESH!} Anyway. Miss Mills is 22 months {and a week or so} old. That's almost two years old for the math-deficient. Which also means I can probably stop referring to her age in months. Big deal! No really it is! Does this mean I will stop posting {somewhat} monthly updates? Not sure. Guess we'll all have to wait and see. Pins and needles!

Back to Amelia Lee: She is a wild thing. She has hair {finally!}. She communicates fairly well and knows what I mean when I say, "Use your words." She sleeps well and eats well {finally!}. She likes people {especially her best friends Lola/Yaya, Bowen/Bubba, and Willie/WeeWee my parents dog}. She hugs and kisses. She laughs hysterically when you tickle her or hold her upside down or do something silly. I love to make her laugh. {And I love how easy it is.} She colors and draws and attempts to name colors. She counts {two and six, mostly}. She likes to sign songs {or for me to sing songs while she does the hand motions}. She likes down time. She likes to run and hop and jump. She likes to sit in Millie-sized chairs and at Millie-sized tables. She likes to push strollers and take care of babies {including undressing, dressing, feeding, rocking, soothing, etc.}. She likes to be held. She likes to jump on our bed/her bed. She likes to pretend to go to sleep {after saying, "night-night...bye...i love you"}. She likes to point out cars, trucks, tractors, buses, trains. She eats hummus with a spoon. She wakes up happy and plays in her crib {this is AMAZING and a new development}. She loves her mama and her daddyO {she calls Brad DaddyO and I die of the cuteness}. She loves dogs and cats and crouches beside them and attempts to pick them up. She hates getting her hair wet {still}. She loves her grandparents. She is obsessed with books {especially: Not a Box, Where the Wild Things Are, I am a Bunny, In the Garden, Everyone Poops, ABCs, and Go to Sleep, My Love}. She sleeps with like 17 babies/animals {really only 6}. She still wears a sleep sack {with the bottom opened up because she's too tall}. She calls it a "seep-sap." She has a flair for drama. She stares. She likes going to the gym daycare and sometimes ignores me when I arrive to pick her up and I have to go and physically get her {major burn}. She likes to be held and cuddled when she wakes up from her nap {1-3pm-ish}. She likes necklaces, sunglasses, and my engagement ring. She doesn't mind making a scene. She still talks about our Christmas Tree.

I hope this great transition goes smoothly for her little sensitive soul. She is learning new words every day. Lately I've been focusing on beach and sunshine. We can't wait.

20&21

Uh, whoops. Really dropped the ball there for a while, huh? {I'm pretty sure I've said that same exact phrase not too long ago right here. But it still applies, so dewai.}

Well the little miss is 21 months old. That's like, seriously old in baby/toddlerdom, right? I don't even know where to begin. She is doing so much, saying so much, acting a fool so much, being a little love so much, learning so much, teaching me so much, moving around so much, making her opinions known so much, playing so much, coloring so much, throwing things so much, smiling so much, laughing so much, climbing so much, jumping so much, jabbering so much. She's just a real live little person. And don't you forget it!

We went through a rough sleeping stage a ways back. {That I'd like to document for my own reference. Deal with it.} Yeah. That was BRUTAL. She resisted naps and bedtime and resisted strongly and loudly. She would cry and scream and call for us. And she started waking (more than once) in the night. No fun I tell ya. Especially after over a year of pretty smooth sleep sailing. But our easy-to-sleep baby is back. THANK GOD. Like a lot of baby-related-routines, they like to switch it up every 2 weeks or so. Which sounds like a looooooooong time when you're in the midst of it, but not so much in the grand scheme. So that happened.

Next! She is picking up new words every day and I have to admit, this is my most favorite thing so far: teaching her to say funny things! {Or just things in general!} Her little voice saying "I love you" and "purple" and "apple." I just can't get enough. She's started saying some phrases {"up please" and "help me"} but mostly she will just say one word followed by "yeah" when she wants something. And you must must must validate whatever it is she is saying or the repeating begins and it will not end. Nope. No end in sight. Tree, lights, truck, tractor, off, diaper, wipes, cheese, wa-wa/water, yellow, book, mama, daddy-o, mommy, baby, bebe, willie/wee-wee, bottle {for the baby}, potty, up, car, bike, BUS, eat, oatmeal, snackies, hold me, trash, ticks/stickers, cow, owee, puppy, kitty, night-night, bubba, and UH-OH are the usual go-to's at this point but that's just off the top of my head. Lots of animals noises, random grunting noises, and indistinguishables as well.

She loves: coloring, BOOKS {even the "big kid" real paper books! She doesn't even try to destroy them!}, sorting things, school, gym daycare and having the babies drive the shopping cart (?), when DaddyO gets home/is home, her BUS!, climbing into chairs/stools, jumping in her crib, feeding baby, sitting on laps, playing with friends {Bowen/Bubba, Lola/Yaya, Griffin, and Charlie} and their toys, babies in general, pointing out cars, bikes, buses, trucks, and tractors, ripping off her bib when she's done eating {or thinks she's done}, putting stickers on things and then taking them off and throwing them in the trash {clearly not a pack rat...yet}, picking lint up off the floor and throwing it in the trash, blowing her nose and throwing the tissue in the trash, {I think you get it}, putting things in different containers, tearing the paper labels off crayons {and you guessed it...throwing it in the trash}, CHALK, closing doors, running, jumping, bows, going for walks, swinging, sliding, park-going, reading, saying MINE and pointing to herself, yelling MAMA/MOMMY, feeding herself, making crayon soup to feed baby, and a bunch of other stuff.

Eating is still a struggle over in these parts. She eats and she eats good foods, but just not the quantity I'd like her to. I mean, some days she eats like a HOSS and then other days she acts as if food is poison. The same exact food she just gobbled up the day before. It's lunacy. But apparently completely typical toddler behavior. Maybe because they ARE lunatics. Maybe? When she obliges, she eats oatmeal, banana, and cinnamon {basically every single morning}, eggs, cheese {only the special grass-fed sharp cheddar or string cheese}, avocado, cucumber, spinach cakes, hummus and carrot, rice crackers/cakes, rice, mac&cheese, edamame, pasta, yogurt, berries (raspberries are a BIG hit}, smoothies every day {where I sneak in spinach/kale/greens}, pizza, satsumas, um, yeah I think that's about it. Oh, and obvi any "snackie." Especially if it belongs to someone else. I also let her have a cookie. FAN.

Her Montessori school program just ended and I am so glad we did it. She really learned so much and had fun there. On our last day, we pulled up and she just kept repeating "happy! happy!" over and over. So yay for that. We'll definitely be continuing on the Montessori path if at all possible. She seems to thrive in the child-led environment since she's a motivated little learner and oh so curious. She got to know the routine so well: up the stairs by herself, take off shoes/boots and put them in the cubby, hang up coat on the hanger, find some work, put work back on the shelf, find more work, etc. etc. The only aspect that she never warmed up to was "circle time" at the end where the whole group came together to sing. It continued to surprise me because she LOVES the songs we sing and asks for them all day long. IDK. Rebel?

We've started initiating "quiet times" into Millie's life, when necessary. This usually occurs after hitting one of us or throwing toys. We remind her not to do the unwanted behavior and then if she continues we ask her to go to her room for a quiet time--basically just to cool off. Sometimes she puts up a good stink about it but really I think she's mostly thrilled. She likes her alone time {as do I} and she typically just goes in there and pulls a million books out. I go in when she's quiet and we have a little talk to remind her it's not okay to hit people or throw food/toys/books/etc. It seems to work so we're sticking with it. She's a fairly good listener and can follow directions {puts her boots away when she takes them off/put her shoes on when it's time to go/hangs her coat up on her little rack/gets a book when asked/puts her toys away} when she wants to. Which, you know, she's 21 months so is not all that often. But hey, we'll take it.

I still think that she's one of the smartest, sweetest, funniest, coolest, spunkiest person I've ever known. And I'm so so so glad she's mine. Er, ours.