Up To New Tricks

It's been a long time since I updated you on the antics of my two year old. She is growing and changing so fast, I'd better document some of these things before I completely forget them.

*Lucie is currently two years and four and a half months old.

*She is the happiest little thing you have ever seen. She has seemed even happier than normal for the past few weeks.

*She still sleeps in our bed. Hmm. (New Year's resolution #1--get Lucie in her own bed!)
But I must say, co-sleeping really does help the bonding with adopted kiddos (see previous item)

*She has a nightly ritual. I'm not sure how it all started. But she has to do it every night!
1. When she is ready for bed--teeth brushed and pjs on, she announces that it is "time to roll!"
2. She lays horizontally in the middle of our bed.
3. Mom and Dad are required to grab the ends of the blanket and roll her from the top of the bed to the bottom of the bed while she laughs uncontrollably.
4. As soon as Mom and Dad tire of the "rolling", she announces that it is time to "swing". She breaks into fits of giggles with this maneuver.
5. Mom and Dad grab the edges of the blanket and swing her like she's in a big hammock.
6. Next comes the "jumping". It's not what you think. We are required to throw her up in the air with the blanket and then catch her again.
7. Finally comes the "dump". That's when we just dump her out of the blanket onto the bed and all giggle together.

That's the ritual. She loves it. It's not exactly conducive to sleeping, but we deal with it.

*Her verbal skills are improving everyday. She doesn't just talk, she really communicates. Usually we understand what she is saying. If we don't she is very patient with us until we get it right.

*She loves to quote movies and tv shows. This is hilarious. I think she has been influenced by her 14 year old brother. Her current favorite is "kung fu panda" Although, she is searching for a new favorite. Her favorite tv show to quote is "The Cosby Show". She cracks us up.

*One of her favorite things to say is "I help you!". She really loves to help. She discovered her step stool not too long ago. She's been using it for a long time in the bathroom. She discovered that it is mobile and it allows her to reach all kinds of new heights. When you need her, she has stool and will travel!

*She can now reach the light switches in our home and open the doors. Yikes! Big brother does not like this at all, due to the fact that she keeps raiding his candy. hehe

*The other day I walked into her room and noticed that she was in her crib. You know, the one that we just have out for show. She's never slept or napped in it. But there she was sitting in the middle of it and I didn't put her there. "How did you get in there?" I asked. "I show you" was her reply. Sure enough---one foot on the rail, the next foot on the mattress and flip --she's in!

*Her favorite food is soup. She loves to have pretend soup parties. No tea for my Lucie. It's all about the soup! Dad is her favorite guest.

*She's really starting to figure out how cool Dad is. I've been trying to tell her all along. They love to race. Up and down the hallway. They usually end up in the pantry. I'm not sure what they do in there. Maybe they are organizing the soup cans? Most likely raiding the candy stash. Then it's off for another race.

*Some of my favorite phrases that she says are:
"I love you too!"
"Hold you."
"How are you? I've missed you!"
"How have you been?"
"I talk to him!" (Usually in reference to Dad when he calls on the phone)
When I ask her what she did at nursery, she always replies "Play toys, sing songs!"

*She is still signing some. She has learned all of the alphabet in sign and can recognize most of the written letters. Now she's moving on to phonics! Yesterday I had a necklace on with my initial on it. She said "J-ja ja ja" Wow, I didn't know she knew that. She's amazing!

She's just my perfect little Lucie with just enough spice to keep things interesting around here. I can't imagine life without her!