I haven't been so good about taking pictures lately, but here's one of Olivia and her newest cousin, Ivy Anne Hoden.1) Reaches the light switches without the need for a stool. For awhile she carted her little stool with her everywhere so she could accomplish this "big-girl" task and feel independent, but suddenly, there's no need for that.
2) While still shy, the crying/whimpering/whatever you want to call it that was occurring at school drop-offs, is over - actually it's been over for quite a while. Olivia still talks about Mrs. Bohr and Mrs. Kane as if they're gifts from heaven - which they probably are! She likes to put her art work from home into her school folder to show her teachers and friends. I often get to see her school group finishing up their recess when I go to pick her up - it's been fun watching her pump on the swings and, most recently, lead a group of girls racing around the playground. When I asked her about this later, she told me that the "Alligators were coming!"
3) Taking full responsibility of herself in the morning - picking out her clothes (getting it from her dresser herself too with the help of a chair), getting completely dressed, and deciding how her hair is to be done (usually either a pony or a braid). She's actually pretty decent at matching - picking up on the idea that pink in a shirt design means it might match with her pink pants. There's been a few days where the outfits verge on "socially unacceptable," but I guess I'll save our battles for something that truly matters.
4) Building off #3, Olivia has (knock-on-wood) stopped throwing fits about tight clothing! If something is tight, she usually makes a face about it and then says, "See, Mommy, I don't cry; it's okay."
5) Making great advancements with spelling, letter recognition, counting with higher numbers, and writing - we didn't exactly give her the easiest name with all these letter that get so easily confused when learning to write - I, L, and V. We only catch this development as Olivia's sharing her knowledge with Grace. I hear lots about school and who Olivia plays with, etc..., but she's shy about sharing any "learning" with me.
6) Right now as I type this, Olivia's attending her first movie with Grandpa Roger.
7) Mastering how to work my touch-screen phone and the DVD player even though she's never received any official instruction on this. She can scan through my "apps" and find her favorite games - puzzles, letter tracing, memory, and drawing.
8) Olivia's always been a great talker, but sometimes the phrases she says are just too adult and so sweet: After going potty - "Mommy, I missed you today." After helping me pick up the basement - "Mommy, I'm a good helper; we're a team!" After agreeing to share with Grace - "Mommy, it's okay, Gracie is just a little baby."
9) Oh, and how could I forget the truest adult phrase to come out of her mouth: After struggling to get the two stools I had bought apart - "What in the H***" My mouth dropped open after hearing that one. No comment was made from me, however, and although we did here the phrase one other time, it seems to have disappeared from her vocabulary already - thank goodness... Maybe not my proudest parent moment, but a good story to say the least!
10) And last, sleeping without a diaper...sometimes. I have to put the "sometimes" in because as of late we've had a bit of a relapse. However, Olivia is very excited to try sleeping without a diaper and it's a major topic of conversation these days, so I hope that we'll get back to no diaper shortly!
