i haven't done a solo-beth post for a long time. and i should. because man, has she changed and grown up. overnight it seems like. the conversations i have with her are unreal. i don't have to talk to her in simple english or extra slowly, and for the most part, i don't have to repeat myself 8 times for her to understand what i'm saying. we have actual conversations.
she has started using words like fine, words that i associate with a teenager's vocabulary. like when she's in the bathroom with the door closed and i ask her if she's okay and she responds with "yeah, i'm fine" and i just look at the door and say okay. and in my mind i'm thinking "but are you sure? you're only two... you're in there by yourself... i can help you if you want..." and so on. but no, she doesn't need my help. she's fine.
she is immensely independent which i love/hate. i want her to grow into a strong young woman who can hold her own, but i wasn't expecting it to come so naturally, so early. but yes, for the most part she is certainly self sufficient. she wants to do everything all by herself. and for the most part, she does: gets dressed, turns on the ipad and finds her game, gets out the toy she wants, opens the door and runs outside to play, goes potty...
she's now in big girl panties (hallelujah) and, as mentioned, handles most of it all on her own. she just goes in the bathroom without making any kind of announcement, closes the door, does her thing, and comes back out. she doesn't use gobs of toilet paper and she even puts the lid down after she flushes. now that's a girl well taught :) but she does it all on her own.
she is incredibly imaginative and playful - always turning things around the house into something else we can play with, and ever since we made a giant fort in the family room two weeks ago, she begs me everyday to make a tent. she likes to hide in the tent from the monsters (who are ever-present guests in our house), which probably stems from monsters, inc. - another she asks to watch everyday as hank and i are getting ready in the morning.
she loves her brother and likes to play on the floor with him or lay down and hold him on her belly and then throw him around. he loves the attention and laughs hysterically when she rough houses with him like that (80% of the time. for me that's a win/win). she always asks to go to the park, and i oblige as often as i can, glad that she likes to be outside in the sunshine and fresh air. we get it in as often as can now before the weather turns cold and it's not comfortable anymore.
she likes to think she's 5 or even 8 years old, rather than two... when all the other kids are playing outside (most of which are at least 6 years older than her), she rushes out to join them and acts like she fits right in. sometimes they entertain her and other times not so much. she bosses them around like she owns the joint, so really i don't blame them for not wanting her around (and i'm sure i didn't want a 2 year old around when i was 8 and playing with my friends). but when they do let her play, my insides swell, because it's funny to me to see her hold her own so well, and also just to think that she she's now living the classic childhood dream of playing out in the street with the neighbor kids, chasing each other and running around like crazy. and i love that it wears her out :) she's not afraid of anyone or anything it seems like, and is always talking to the strangers that pass by our house when we're outside, saying hello and asking their name. she is friendly and outgoing.
she doesn't need to sleep as much as she used to though, which is somewhat annoying. she doesn't fall asleep until probably 9:00 at the earliest every night no matter when we put her to bed. we still shoot for 8:00 even though we know it's in vain. and she's up by 7am like clockwork regardless of when she falls asleep. it's kind of a pain honestly. but if that's my biggest problem, i'll take it.
then again, all this other cuteness is really dependent on how much sleep she's gotten. when she's tired, she gets cranky and all these great thoughts i have about her go out the window. this post might as well not even exist when she's tried and cranky. but for the most part, she is funny little girl that says hilarious things that make me laugh and love her all the more. for the most part... :)
and clearly i'm biased, but she just has these moments where she is just so beautiful to me. like in this pictures. it's one of my favorites. i love the way her hair falls around her face. for some reason her hair always defaults to looking loose and sometimes messy, and i like it.
life is just awesome sometimes. i can't believe i created this one. how lucky i am.
