We've had record snow fall here in Stuttgart I hear. All I know is that it was fun the first few times and now I'm itching for a good thaw! The upside is being able to send the kids out to play in the yard and they love using their silly sleds! Usually I send the boys out or go with them if Morgan is napping. One day I took Morgan out with McKay before naptime. She hadn't walked on the snow before and was real interested in watching McKay sled down our little backyard hill.
I bought this snow suit back in early October when Morgan turned 1 and was positive she'd grow out of it this winter. She can barely walk in it with so much extra fabric on her lil' bod! Lovin' the waddle!
I took her down our "hill" and she loved it the first time! She's a rather fearless girl and it always surprises me! When we're playing and I go to chase her, she'll either stand her ground giggling or run right at me. My boys always fled in fits of nervous giggles!
PLAYTIME!
Mommy-in-Training - She soooo thinks she's in charge around here, can ya tell?! The first thing she does when taken out of her crib is to find a doll or stuffed animal to love on. The best is how she clutches any stuffed animal around the neck pressed tight to her own chest, with love pats. If feeling 'da love, she'll then put the animal on the floor and body slam it. So sweet, huh? Then she takes stock of what family members are home and what they're up to. Next it's time to eat and then play!
Climbing - One of her favorite climbing apparatuses and perch is on top of this car structure. The others include the bathroom and kitchen stools. Notice she's brought a stuffed animal along. Today she figured out she can push the kitchen stool around strategically. Tonight it was to eat handfuls of butter. Heaven help me.Trash Cans - Yeah, raiding the kitchen and bathroom trash cans are a current favorite unfortunately. On the flip side, she will sometimes follow directions to throw away trash if it suits her whim and she gets enough cheerleading. Since she's taken to chewing and spitting her food out after being let down from her high chair so there's deposits of her meal elsewhere in the house, trash runs are now a game we play often.
Music - When Morgan wants to come hang with me on a bed or couch, she'll bring a stuffed animal as a peace offering with an expectant angelic face to be picked up. The sweetness deteriorates real fast into defiant yells and on down to banshee screams if I do not comply with her first request. Once she's attained her desired spot as the center of my world face to face, she begins to "sing" so that I will sing to her. I still think "I'm a little teapot" is an apt anthem for our Ms. Jane! We do a lot of Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle twinkle little star, Wheels on the Bus, Gung-gung went the little green frog one day . . . It's really pretty adorable and I will miss this phase when it passes.
Music often saves our bacon while I attempt to do chores. She is always eager to help me when I put something in the dishwasher, a toy bin, a drawer - she undoes it and a few of the item's friends. Talk about taking one step forward and a few steps back! Crankin' up the tunes is becoming a new cleaning ritual and she just shakes what she gots! It is so cute!
An often redeeming trait of her current developmental stage is that I can say, "Morgan, where is your ____? Can you go get it?" She'll quickly toddle her way over to get the item and bring it back, proud as proud can be! Often that moment away will allow me to let go of my frustration.
The other night during a round of Cities & Knights with some of Ryan's coworkers, Morgan "helped" me make chocolate chip cookies. She loves being up on the kitchen stool surveying my work. I've discovered the stool is a much better place for her than the tugging, pushing of my legs. She's not shy about her supervisory role doing quality control. You always know just where you stand.
