December 2015

This month we have entered the "why" phase.  It's exhausting.  Today it got so bad that I suggested letting me finish reading the current page before asking questions, then pausing for questions before turning the page. 

You sometimes tell me you have sad eyes when you are crying.

You have informed me on several occasions that pink is now your favorite color.

Everything happens on Thursday.  "Kinley do you need to go potty?"  "No, I went on Thursday."

You discovered the ability to communicate yes and no by shaking your head.  You now won't answer any yes/no question verbally.  I find it adorable but it also makes you seem much older for some reason.

Best mispronunciation:  gee-al (girl).

You often ask us, "do you remember...." as it pertains to things we obviously would remember.  Like, "do you remember Big Bunny?" or "do you remember this table?"

One week when we were settling in for movie night you and I were snuggling together on the couch and you turned to me and said, "you're my best friend."  To which I replied, "you're my best friend," then looked up to see Daddy looking sad and lonely in the chair.

Exploring the empty horse stables at Will Rogers State Historic Park.

This month when we try to change your clothes you take off and run around the house yelling "I'm naked!  I'm naked!"

I think winter has become my favorite time to go to the beach.

You were chasing the birds yelling, "we don't have any food."  This lasted probably at least 5 minutes.

Singing to your animals.

I took the week off between Christmas and New Year's and we made a trip to the zoo.  It was a chilly day but ended up being a great trip.

All smiles exiting the zoo, even after the long day.

Kelly got you this Cookie Monster for Christmas to go with your Elmo because of your philosophy that every toy needs a friend.  My parents have asked if you ever play with Pendleton anymore and the answer was no.  Until it occurred to me that he just needed a friend.  I found an old giraffe in some things from when you were a baby and told you that it was Pendleton's friend and that was all it took.

I found an extra set of supplies to make a Christmas tree ornament from last year.  I'll admit, it was much more age appropriate this year.

Building a house for your animals.

You have been getting up way too early, making it harder and harder for me to run in the mornings.  I've started doing exercise videos some days when running doesn't work out and sometimes you try to do them with me.

You are always pretty sensitive to certain things that are sad but your emotions have been on high alert this month.  Lots of tears over seemingly small things.  If Daddy and I tell you something enough times that we start getting frustrated you immediately pick up on the change of tone and burst into tears.  One morning when I was finishing up an exercise video I looked over and you were making the silent "tears are about to start flowing" face.  I immediately pinpointed the cool down music in my video as the culprit.  Yes, cool down music.

Painting pictures for your teachers to go with their Christmas gifts from the class.

We tried to make you understand that Christmas is not just about receiving but also about giving.  We let you choose gifts for Charlotte and Kelly and one to donate to charity as well.  We also decided to each separately take you shopping to choose gifts for us.  I took you to CVS to shop for Dad and let you lead the way.  You marched into that store with complete confidence telling me things like, "let's try a different aisle."  You REALLY wanted to buy him a 5 foot singing Santa, but he was out of our $10 price range.  As we made our way through the whole store you would ask, "is this under $10?"  Which often led to, "yes, is that what you want to get?"  "No."  Finally you settled on a mirror.

Not great at keeping secrets yet, when Dad subsequently took you shopping at the same store, you walked in, went straight to the mirrors, pointed to one, and asked him if it was the one you got for him.  When you got home he made me close my eyes until he had my gift hidden and you probably lasted almost 5 minutes before telling me what it was (a toy motorcycle, though you call motorcycles bicycles).  You then made mention of it a good 5 or so more times before Christmas came.  A few days before we were talking about Christmas and you asked me "Are you going to open your bicycle present that day?"

In the last days before Christmas you started wrapping random items from the house in printer paper and placing them under the tree.

Pile everything on Dad!

One day after our cleaning service had been here, you noticed several things out of place.  You would ask who moved it and I would tell you it was the cleaning people.  The following conversation ensued:

you:  "Who moved my stool?"
me:  "The cleaning people."
you:  "Why?"
me:  "They move lots of things.  They move everything that's on the floor so they can clean under it."
you (incredulously):  "The Christmas tree?"
me (open mouth, insert foot):  "No, not the Christmas tree."
you:  "The coffee table?"
me:  "No, not the coffee table."
you:  "Rudolph?"
me:  "Yes, they probably moved Rudolph."
you:  *wide eyed silence*
me:  "Do you want to go make sure Rudolph is okay?"
you:  "Yes."

My little helper.

I put you to work shredding chicken for soup.

Generally speaking, you behave very well everywhere we go.  However, on one recent trip to the library you were not doing such a great job.  We had our books all picked out without too much trouble, then I let you play in the play area for awhile.  When I told you it was time to go you didn't like that and were making a pretty ridiculous fuss.  Eventually you took off running down the aisles and this is when I'd had enough.  I chased you down, picked you up under one arm, left all the books we'd chosen on the cart for re-shelving, and marched us out of the library with you literally kicking and screaming and everyone present staring.  It got only worse when we got outside and you realized that we were not checking any books out.  Complete hysteria ensued when we got to the car and it probably took me a full 10 minutes to get you strapped in your car seat.  You proceeded to cry the entire drive home.  I was fuming.  We talked about your behavior and why we didn't get to bring any books home.

A couple of weeks later I decided to give you another chance.  So, on the way to the library I started to talk to you about behaving and you immediately chimed in with, "Not behaving is when we don't get library books."  You behaved perfectly that day and I am hopeful that means you learned something from the prior debacle.

I love your face in this picture.  You were getting Karen all settled in your lap and keeping her warm with the blanket.

First time bowling!  Terrible lighting but you get the idea.

Play date with Hana.

Divya entertained herself with the magnets while the "big girls" were painting.

One morning when I took you to school you were rocking on a rocking horse and I was watching as you stopped rocking and just started leaning farther and farther forward.  I wasn't sure if it could actually tip over, but sure enough, it started to.  I saw it coming and started to stop it around the same time you realized it and stopped leaning but it was enough to give you a good scare.  You were pretty upset and told me, "it was a monster."  There have been a few other claims since that something or someone was a monster.  It cracks me up.  One day I pointed out to you that Cookie Monster and Elmo are monsters.  You were skeptical of me.

I'm happy to report that bedtime has been a breeze lately.  We read books, you turn off the light, give me a hug and kiss and climb in bed.  I put on your blankets and then see your little hand peek out from the edge of the blanket for me to hold.  From that point you are asleep in approximately 2 minutes.

Spinach for your animals.  Breakfast of champions.

Charlotte's 3rd birthday!

Daddy and I were both a little sick for a few days right around Christmas.  Daddy had a rough night on Christmas Eve so when you woke in the morning I came out to the living room with you and was going to let him sleep a few minutes longer.  When you walked in the room you immediately noticed your new kitchen and asked, "Is that my kitchen?"  "Yes."  "Can I cook my grocery food in it?"  "Yes."  We went to your bedroom to get your shopping cart full of food and you played at the kitchen for about 15 minutes before ever noticing all the presents under the tree.