Monday, May 23, 2011

These Days

Spring and summer are by far my favorite seasons.  Being outdoors in the sunshine doing yard work or grilling or reading/knitting is what I look forward to everyday.  This year is especially wonderful.  Harper is a walking, talking, full-fledged toddler.  She swings and slides and climbs.  She walks all over the yard pointing at things.  BABA! (ball)  DUH DUH! (dog dog)  SEE! (swing)  I can remember last year walking her around the yard while she was colic-y and thinking how wonderful it would be when she could play and have fun.  I never dreamed it would be this much fun.  Harper is into pretend play.  We have a little play kitchen on the back deck and she plays in the water, puts the dishes away, feeds her baby.  I've been obsessively knitting lately so it's good that she hit this stage.  I sit nearby watching her make-believe.  Every few minutes she toddles over to me saying MAMA! and hugs my legs and then resumes playing. Once I break myself away from my hobby, I join in her fun.

She's saying everything.  She watches our mouths when we form words and then tries to sound them out loud herself.  I don't know if I can list all of the words she's saying, but I'll try:
BABA (ball)
BA (baaa for a sheep, of course)
BOOF (moo for a cow)
MAHMAH (more more usually for food)
DISH (drink and milk and binkie)
MAMA 
DADA
MIMI (for gramie)
DAHDAH (dog dog)
BEBE (baby)
DUN (down)
UP
HI
BUH BYE
DUG (duck)
ZEE (crazy)
CUH (book)
SHA (shoe)
POO (poop)
PEE
UCK (yuck)
NO
ESS (yes)

CHEESE

She has recently been telling me when she has to go poop so we are gradually working our way up to potty training.  She says more when she wants food and drink when she's thirsty.  Whenever I get my bag she says "buh bye!" like we're going somewhere.  She blows kisses and says goodbye when we leave somewhere.  And she's still all about being outside.  In fact, I think she's happiest when she's outside.  Life is even better for her now that she can walk.  She still freaks out if I walk away, but now she follows after me.  I'm hoping that the crying will subside soon and this stage will be over.  It's unfortunate that I can't reason with her and tell her I'm just walking to the fridge, not out of her life forever.

I am absolutely loving this age.  Even though I am starting to realize my tiny baby is disappearing (where did those chubby legs go?!), I'm embracing every bit of this toddler before me.  She's super independent (trying to use spoons and forks to feed herself!  trying to put on clothes!  blowing her own nose!) and also very stubborn.  It's not always smiles and sunshine, but oh so worth it.  She definitely likes to push boundaries so I'm learning new ways to discipline gently.  I can't say it always works (anyone else lose patience when they have a cold? or poison ivy that makes their skin feel like it's on fire? or when they're having a bad day?), but I'm learning a lot myself.  I can't be perfect all the time.  But that's okay.  We're having so much fun together.  

P.S. My laptop decided to crap out on me the day that Harper took off walking (last Wednesday) so until I get it fixed, there may not be any picture or video uploads, I'm very sorry to say.  I took a bazillion pictures last week and have nothing to show for it!  Sorry!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

hey there! been a while since I visited... had to stop by! :D


Harper is saying so much!! wow!! my little guy doesn't...LOL.

Courtney L said...

Jill- Thanks for stopping by! Yes, she's a regular chatterbox! I think she gets it from her Momma! LOL