this is such a fun age...

if i remember correctly....it wasn't that long ago that i was writing about what a challenge Parker had been for us.

and it seemed no sooner that i wrote that....that we had a reprieve. she suddenly became more well- behaved. the fits were fewer and further between. the whining was less. we all just seemed to be a little more on the happier side.

one day...as i was sitting on the couch feeding grace.....Parker was playing independently so well. i thought about how throughout her life i would find myself saying, "i love this stage! i love the things she is doing now! this is such a fun age!"

and i realized that it had been a while since i had said those words. and although this age is not without its challenges (as with any age, really)..... i also realized that this, too, was 'such a fun age.'

so i compiled a list of a few things that i love about Parker at this age that i don't want to forget:

• i love hearing her sing in her off tune voice. and each day she gets more and more words correct to the song that she is singing.
• i love how when we are reading her bedtime stories she will say things like..."but I want to go into the picture and touch Clifford {the big red dog}." or "I need that umbrella so that I can open it." or "I need to go into the picture so I can play in the rain with them." And then when I tell her that she can't go into the picture...she replies with, "Tomorrow. A-ter (after) my nap."....because as it were...we do a lot of things "after her nap."
• i love how she can have a full conversation with me....and they actually make sense! (most of the time!)
  
• i love how she is becoming more independent. not wanting help with putting her clothes or shoes on.
• i love that she thought when we released the butterflies that they were going to go and find their mommy and daddy. She was really concerned about where they were!
• i love cleaning up her kitchen set and putting everything in a place because I know how much fun it will be for her to pull everything out again (even though this doesn't really happen very often! :) and when i do this....i love seeing where she has put things and what she has 'made' (i.e. all of her little alphabet books are in the oven now....and her plastic easter eggs are in her muffin pan)
  
• i love how when i tell her to do something, I say, "Yes M'am??" in a stern voice. And she replies, "Yes Man!" I don't correct her. I know she will learn the proper way to say it eventually.
• just like when she says, "Please." Not so long ago it was "pwease." When did she figure it out? And it's bittersweet because I love that she has figured it out.....yet there is something sweet and innocent about her voice right now.
  
• and how every time I hold her...or she lets me rock her in our recliner while watching TV....I try to covet these moments....realizing full well I know they will eventually get fewer and further between....until this little girl grows up and no longer wants to sit in my lap.
• i love that she presses a button on Grace's toys to make them make music....then says, "Dance with me, Mommy (or Daddy)." And she keeps pushing them over and over again!
• i love that i can ask her to go get me something...and she does! she is so helpful {at times} :).
• i love how she always asks, "Mommy! What are you doing?" if she says it once, she says it a million times. seriously. within seconds of asking.... and us telling her what we are doing...she asks again. we then ask her, 'what do you think I am doing?" and she replies with what it is that we are doing. so she really already knows....but still feels compelled to ask!
  
• i love how during bedtime story time last night she kept pointing to something and asking what it was. i kept telling her it was a leaf that the little chicken was using as a kite. she kept asking and asking. i was almost getting annoyed. She would not let us turn the page. finally.... I realized that there was a ladybug that I could not see due to her finger. i said, "oh! that's a ladybug." and all was well. we were then able to move on! :)
  
• i love how after i read a book to her, she says, "My turn!" and then she reads it to me. I am constantly amazed at what she remembers....and how she even uses my voice intonation when she 'reads' it.
• i love how intently she watches me take care of Grace so that she can, in turn, do the same for her Lovey. it's truly priceless.
• i love her. and i love being her mother.