She's a big girl now

Goodness, our girl is going to be 2 in two weeks! *gulp*. Where the heck did the time go? Man oh man, she is one little sassafras! I call her a hellion on two feet! LOL. She is really pushing her limits with us, and is constantly purposely disobeying us to see how far she can take things with us. Ahhh, the life with a toddler in the "terrible 2's". But I tell you, I wouldn't give her up for anything; my love for this spunky girl grows and grows each and every day. It is amazing how much love you can have in your heart for one little soul.

Where oh where do I begin with all the stories I have to share with you all?

* K's new sayings or phrases: she has MANY new things she is saying on a daily basis, some good, and some NOT so good. She calls sunglasses "sunny glasses" (I think because of Sunny Days the Sesame Street theme song. She also will tell us now, "just a minute" or "two minutes" and hold up a finger. Gee, I wonder where she gets that? *(blush)*. On our drive home, she'll say "go for walk?", because now that the weather is clearing up, we go immediately on a walk with the fur kids when we get home. "What doin', mama", or "what doin', ___" to whom ever is in her focus at the moment. Our girl is a curious girl; you can always see the wheels turning.
Unfortunately, she has also starting telling us "get out of here", "get out", and "go away". Ugg. We don't say things like this at home, so I know she's picking up some of the things that children say to each other. I try to immediately correct her in saying "excuse me" or "please stop", to try and make those nasty sounding words a little more "soft", if you will.

*We got our girl a pair of new rain boots at Target a few weeks ago. She *hearts* LOVES THEM. They really are adorable on her (they are the pink/yellow flowered ones with ducky on the outside), and she is able to put them on all by herself, which makes her even more excited every day to put them on.

*Keifer is constantly asking us to "draw pumpkin' or "K -I"- which means, spell my name for me. When we draw pumpkins,on her magna doodle or on paper, she lights up, and starts to drawl swirls herself. I've found a new smaller marker, the Pip Squeaks, that fit her hands a bit better than the big markers. She refuses to use crayons. Nice, huh? As for the spelling of her name- I think the exposure to all the bigger kids at Elaine's house working on spelling and writing has really influenced Keifer's interest in her own name.

Of course, when I say, "your name is K-E-I" - CJ laughs and says that normally, "I is before E", and yes,I know that when we spelled our girl's name, it was backwards to that rule, but then her name wouldn't have meant "cherished", so there!

A great book that our girl loves to read every night, which includes the letters of her name, is called My Very Own Name Book. Keifer calls this her "owl book" because there is an owl in it. We received this as a gift from Mooshie's parents, Liz and George, who are always SO generous with our girl. We are so lucky to have such loving people in her life! They have also sent her My Very Own ABC's, which is along the lines of My Very Own Name. Keifer LOVES the pictures and seeing the letters in these books.

*A few weeks back, Keifer started a mini-riot of sorts at Elaine's house during lunch time. Yes, our girl is a loudmouth, once she gets to know you and is comfortable. I have no idea where she gets it. She apparently started pounding on the table when Elaine went upstairs to retrieve something, and pounding her spoon and screaming. She got the other kids started on screeching as well, and made poor Amanda cry!

*We are always telling our girl, "be careful", so of course, she is always telling us to "be careful" now as well. Last week, CJ was watering the plants above the cupboards in the kitchen, so he was standing on the counter top. Keifer kept saying "be careful, daddy' and seemed so worried about her daddy! She continuously told him this even after he was off the counter and near her in a chair. She also tells us both to be careful when we are eating and the food is hot. "Be careful, mama, hot!".

*Temper tantrums. Ahh, yes. The posts I don't write about. The temper tantrums. Some days , I feel like all I do is constantly negotiate with this small child about doing everything or anything within our day. She certainly has a mind of her own, and is one strong-willed child. She will throw temper tantrums about the littlest things, at the drop of a pin. And the tears! Ahhh, the tears. She is able to whip out REAL crocodile tears at a moment's notice. I'm always trying to give her choices and keep my words/sentences short and simple, but even so, our girl wants to do things HER way.

She wants her own make up bag, because I won't let her dig in mine. I have a make up brush that I don't use, that I give her to "powder" her face with while I get ready in the AM. She is a hoot, but...her own brush isn't cutting it anymore. She wants her own "lips" (chap stick or lipstick), she wants her own eye brush, and she wants to be able to do her own hair, which we all know is impossible. AHhh, Keifer. She is a joy and a terror, all in one body. LOL.