This Girl.

 I thought I'd do a Currently type post about my littlest, who seems to be going through a transition right now.

Currently, this girl is...

... getting picky and pickier about what she eats. And she's very decisive about what she likes and doesn't like. If she fancies it, she makes a vibrant "Nom nom nom".  If it's something she doesn't like, then the noise is a very adamant "Blech ptoo ptoo". It's funny, she used to be so good about eating her vegetables... what happened in six months that now they are the most disgusting thing on the planet to her??

Likes: cookies!, Pirate's Booty (still), French fries, egg drop soup, pancakes, Cheerios, square cheese, cheese omelets, smoothies and crackers.

... growing out of naps. She still takes them once in a while, but more often than not lately she skips her afternoon nap. I'm wondering if this will change once we get back into the school year and if her pick up line naps will resume? With all the summer activity, it surprises me sometimes that (1) she skips her nap, and (2) that it doesn't make a grumpy toddler.

... sleeping longer into the night (probably this is a by product of the no daily naps). In her little life so far, she has never slept in her crib all night long. It's okay, though. Generally, she will fall asleep around 8:30, we lay her in her crib all tucked in, and around 12:30 she wakes up and cries out for Daddy to come and scoop her up. She snuggles right in bed with us and goes back to sleep promptly. On nights when she is extra toss-and-turny, it's kind of an issue and Mom and Dad get a crappy nights sleep, but really I've had a kid in my bed for so long, it's mostly a non issue. But the past few nights, she has slept well past the 12:30 mark and well into the early morning range. I'd like to say it is improving my sleep, but I'm not there yet. I wake up worried because she's not next to me.

... talking more and more each and every day. For some reason, Roxy is something she rarely says and these past few days, she has resorted to calling her "Sissy" (which Roxy rather likes). She still calls most animals "Goggy", but when I tell her what it is, she does repeat the word and most of the time her clarity amazes me.

... is so helpful!! She cleans up her own messes and even helps me out with my chores without asking. She insists on bringing drinks and snacks to her brother and Sissy and will even bring empty dishes to drop off in the kitchen sink.

... is such a happy child. She laughs, giggles, dances and jumps up and down (and sometimes yells, "Yah Yah Yah!") when I say it's time to do something she is excited about (i.e. POOL!!, going to the Play Center, or going outside to play). When Daddy comes home, she hears the garage door shut, yells "DADDY!!!" and runs to greet him. I think it might be his favorite part of the day. :)

... loves animals. She lights up when she sees an animal out the window or on TV and gives our own doggies lots of love. The other two like animals just fine, but I can tell that she has a more special bond with them than the other two and even me. She takes after her Daddy in this way.

She is transitioning into a full blown toddler.

Bittersweet? A little. But mostly, I'm loving every minute of it. She is so much happier as a toddler than she was as a baby, I can tell she was just itching to grow into her bigger and stronger body so she can declare her physical independence and learn how to communicate with the world.

<3, Tabi :D