A Beautiful Day in OK: beetle happenings

New words daily. Sentences. Even songs. I love the language explosion that happens at this age. I love that she understands that she can communicate with words and that we are listening. I love listening to her. I can't wait till I can understand all of what's going on in her growing mind. Juliet laughs sometimes and says "I don't know what Beetles sayin'. She's silly." Yeah, there's a lot we don't understand, but she's getting there. We're all getting there.

Praying with Daddy at dinner. She likes to ramble a bunch of gibberish and then close with a very clear "Amen". We are often required to pray multiple times during dinner.

And yes, she is having oatmeal for dinner. I don't know what it is, but both my girls love oatmeal. Juliet especially. She's gone through phases where she'll eat like 3 bowls a day! I think it's odd, but can a mom turn down a kid's request for oatmeal?

We work a lot of puzzles around our house. This is a puzzle Corinne worked.

She is not so concerned with the details! I don't know if I am reading anything into this or not, but I can remember sitting and watching Juliet work and work with puzzle pieces until she'd get them to fit, turning them, sliding them around. Beetles has none of that. If the piece doesn't go right in, it can just sit on top! I mean, she has it in the correct spot, right!?! In a way I can't fully describe, her puzzle working approach seems to fit her personality at a broader level. And I love it :) The girl has her own way of doing things.

Dress up with Daddy.

He's a rock star.

Currently everything is green. Show her a red apple and ask what color it is. "Green". Currently any number of things is actually three. She will count three baby dolls even if there is only one.

Sporting pig tails before I gave her a hair cut.

Stubborn. Persistent. The girl is passionate about things. She feels strongly and she's not afraid to let you know it. She feels strongly that babies should not be made to have their diapers changed, their teeth brushed, and should under no circumstances be made to take naps.

Her problem lies in the fact that she just may have gotten these traits from her Mommy. And her Mommy just doesn't back down.

Some days she wears me down. Some days I feel like she may never listen to a word I say. I am not kidding when I say that for days I was waiting, planning to throw a big celebration if she'd just listen to me ONCE - come for a diaper change, stop banging the wooden hammer on the window, let me put her shoes on without feeling like I am wrangling a wild animal. I mean, I don't feel like I am asking too much here ...

And then last Sunday, I asked her to go get me a pair of socks from her dresser so we could put her shoes on (we were in the living room at the time).

And she did it.

I cheered. I hugged. I praised. I was so so proud.

I know this may seem like a silly story, but in my life IT WAS HUGE.

Don't get me wrong, she's a good kid. A really good kid. I know that. And I love her spunk. We are getting there. She's listening more. Communicating more effectively. And I'm learning to find joy in wrestling with her as I try to brush her teeth.

Snuggle bug. When the girl isn't fighting for her toddler rights, she's happiest in your lap. Last week, Aunt Dan stopped by in the evening and Corinne just laid her head down on her shoulder contently ... for like 5 minutes! We decided that she could just tell that Aunt Dan had a rough day and needed some extra lovin'. She knows how to cuddle and show you some love when she wants to!