May Recap

I don't even know where to begin.

So much has happened but at the same time nothing has happened. May has been a month of mornings in the garden eating breakfast and playing "teapots" and nights running around the yard with sticky fingers and faces and bare feet. Our days are spent running errands around town, going for walks, going to daycare, and playing non-stop with your "friends" meaning all your stuffed animals and dolls.

You are officially out of diapers. But in Pull Ups or we prefer the other brand: Easy Ups. For Ms. Patti, you have completely dry days. You go to daycare in the same pair of Easy Ups you come home in. Not only do you tinkle in the potty for her but you also make "stinky potty" (I don't think that name needs any further explanation). You can pull your pants and "underwear" up and and down by yourself. In fact, when I took you potty on Sunday, I was following you into the bathroom when you abruptly shut the door in my face. When I knocked, you exclaimed: "Going potty Mommy!" Each time you use the potty, you find it time to brag about your "accomplishment." Your father and I sing and dance and clap in response to your joy. We are proud of you. You are proud of you. I would be even more proud of you if you went stinky potty for us and not just Ms. Patti. Although, the other day, Ms. Patti gave you some privacy to make your stinky potty and she came back to find you playing in the potty. An entire outfit change and body scrubbing (including under the nails! Ick!) was necessary. I have been nauseous lately from your enormous little sister pushing on my stomach so I am relieved that your poop exploration was there and not here.

I found myself watching videos of you on Saturday night. Whew! Big weekend for us! You have matured so much even in the last 2 months. You can carry on conversations proficiently now. You pick up on humor and nuances that were foreign to you only last month. Today, in the dressing room where Becca was trying on graduation dresses, you excitedly point up and exclaim, "Oh THREE!" THREE!" I was eating ice (a frequent pass time of mine lately to stay cool, hydrated and less nauseous)and I began to choke when I looked up. Becca had three dresses with her so the number 3 was hanging on the hook to let the sales lady know how many dresses we had. Besides being able to identify some numbers (so far 1, 2 & 3 are your most consistent, after I tested your skill in the dressing room with other plastic number tags), you can identify some letters, like A, O, N, C. Your colors are not being mastered as fast, you are good some days and off others. You have shapes down. The most difficult shapes you have mastered are rectangles and ovals. I am surprised you can distinguish them from their close relatives, squares and circles, but you can.

You can draw a circle and a straight line. On your homework, you have to circle the same shape or draw a line from the three kittens to the number three. You can do both. However, Ms. Patti wants you writing in pencil and you insist on using pens. We are planning on going shopping to pick out some spiffy pencils so you will be more motivated to use them.

Lately, you have been getting out of bed and making your way outside to play. The neighbors have found you wandering around our backyard after bedtime (twice, maybe three times). Sneaking by your father and I, you take the route that we are least likely to see / hear you. I thought it would be harder for you to escape to the backyard once we closed the sliding screen door to turn on the AC. Nope. You just use the dog door. I found you out on the deck this afternoon, passing your dolls through the dog door.

You are confident. You have this sense of self and mischievous way about you. It is obvious you understand how to act to get what you want. You love to engage to others in your games of woo. An old man commented today about how incredibly tiny you were but how adult you behave. Most people think you are almost three instead of freshly two. We switched pediatricians since I was not up for the monthly visits with your sister with an hour and half round trip car ride. We saw a doctor in town. It took 12 minutes round trip to travel there. You got a clean bill of health. The best part was there were no shots! And you won't need any more vaccines until 4!!! I won't mention we have to go for bloodwork since we live a 111 year old house. We love living in a historic downtown but the whole lead thing is a concern.

You were in the town's Memorial Day parade yesterday. Nonni and Nonna came to see you. We went to the neighbors for brunch and fun and another house for a delicious dinner bbq. It is rather ironic that you make friends for us. But most who has fallen for your charm, are not children. On the contrary, all adults. So many people love you and know you in our town. I get the "Oh hi! So you're Nora's mom" at least once a week. On Saturday night, we were out with Grandma and Grandpa at the world's worst singing show, you were at home being babysat by Becca. I was introduced to a group of people as Nora's mom. You weren't even with me! People in the group, knew who you were but not me! All adult women! The woman introducing me apologized and said, "Isn't it awful, I don't remember your name but I remember Nora's!" I smiled and said, "Nora is pretty unforgettable" and everyone laughed because they know it's true. You don't forget names. You remember who people are and you say hello with their name and give them hardy hugs and wave as if they were your long-lost best friend. You make everyone feel loved and special. It's a gift, I suppose. Anyway, we received a dinner invite last night because of you. We had a grand time.

All in all, we are plugging along and I am grateful for no major events or news.