approaching summer

 
Seems were always busy around here lately. Haven't had much time to write and I don't have the patience to wait an hour while my photos upload. I need to fix my uploading issues soon. Summer weather has come our way rather suddenly and we've been dividing our time between running errands and dilly-dallying outside.

The girl loves her squirt bottles. She cleans everything with them.

It's not a bad way to spend our days. I'm definitely out of the habit of blogging though. Today I was going to write a Keely post (aren't most of them?). I figure if I'm not using this blog for anything else right now I still have to record those childhood memories.
Keely you are so grown-up sometimes it's frightening. Slow down please. You so love to do everything yourself and want to replicate what you see adults doing. We came home from the dr. today and you ran to find your doctor bag and a pen and notebook (to use as a file). You gave me a check-up and recorded very important notes in my chart.  You are always writing notes now. You draw maps for your animals too "so they know where they need to go" and you give it to them. You write names on index cards and label things around the house. You can write most of the alphabet now. You're getting quite good at writing your name too.

I finally let you walk at the stores. No more cart riding for you. It has made a big difference. You nearly beg to go to some store that you can walk at everyday. You run to your bedroom and pick out your clothes and shoes. You go to the bathroom and then put on all the clothing you that you can manage alone and then bring the rest to me to help you with. While I help you, you proudly tell me everything you did to prepare for this monumental outting to Target. A most joyous occassion. The novelty has not worn off yet. You walking has made most of our errands take double as long as they would have previously, but you are happy. You stay with me and haven't broke anything yet.  You've also started riding your tricycle around the neighborhood when we take a walk, but usually 3/4 of the way home you say, "Can't I just walk?" like I've forced you to do this ridiculous activity and you then clumsily drag your bike the rest of the way…throwing dirty looks over your shoulder at it when it doesn't cooperate. 

Naps are fading away. If you don't have a very active day you will not go to sleep for a nap. I'm slowly accepting that it's time for me to just let them go. It's hard. Strangely, even if you don't take a nap you don't go to bed any earlier than usual. Some days can be really long.
You love to talk on the phone now. If a grandparent calls, you stand in front of me with your hands on your hips saying, "Can I talk now?" "I have to talk to them tooooooo." Then when you do talk, we can't get you to stop. You walk around the house talking, using animated arms and hands. We have to pry the phone out of your hands to end it. Chatterbox.
I'm suffering from some insomnia lately, so I lay awake watching you sleep. I can still see your newborn face so clearly in your slumbering expressions. It makes me teary. You still suck with your mouth when you sleep sometimes and it makes me laugh. You haven't sucked on anything (pacifier, bottle, breast) in a very long time. You laugh a lot in your sleep and talk too. You'll say, "Well, I'm still NOT going to go to sleep. hmmpf." Too funny. Sometimes you roll over at night and snuggle in my neck and say, "Oh mommy, I love you." You're sound asleep. That's the good stuff.

When I correct you or use a not so nice tone you've started saying, "Well I'm going to live somewhere else and you can't come!" or crossing your arms and saying, "Well then I'M MAD!" and you stay mad for quite awhile.  Daddy and I started to lose our patience with some of your more trying behaviors lately, so we had to have a long talk and we are trying to get back to being the calm, kind parents we want to be. You really do respond well when we just take the time.
We are also considering homeschooling you. I'm really torn on this one. The more I learn about what's going on in elementary schools these days the more I want you no where around them. However, there are a few benefits to attending a school. I don't know what kind of teacher I'd be to you or if that's where I want our lives to go. Homeschooling is a big deal. I haven't even fully wrapped my head around all that it would mean. The possibility is there though.

I love you my big girl and I'm so proud of the person you are. One day when we were out, someone stopped to smile and talk to you. After we had passed, daddy said, "She makes people smile." It is so true. Everywhere we go people stop what they are doing to look at you, watch you, or to catch a smile from you. You are so special. I could write about you forever I think, but I'll end here for now.