"I love you"

We were driving in the car today and Maya says: "I love you... You're a nice girl, mama."  I laughed and said "well, I love you too!"  Later, when I was getting her out of her car seat, she said " I like you, you're a beautiful girl."  I don't know quite what got into her today, maybe it was the fact that she actually took a nap today (first time all week!).  She has been saying some of the funniest things.  The other day at dinner, she was telling us how much she loved us, and then suddenly switched gars and told Scott that she didn't love him.  He acted sad and I laughed and said that wasn't nice to say and then she said "I love you now."  She was so matter a fact about it when she said that she loved him now.  It was very deadpan.  I am not sure where she gets it because she says stuff like that all the time.  Wise beyond her years.  

She has not been taking a nap which has been stressful for all involved.  She starts fading at about 4:30 or so and then it is a downward spiral until 6:30 or so when we can put her to bed.  I hate it first because I feel like she really needs it, but also because I hate seeing her such a mess.  She cries and carries on and it is so SAD..... for me. 

One of the things that have been going on is that she is trying to figure out how to go to sleep all by herself.  It is just a transition period but I think that we are all struggling with it a little bit.  Maya, because she is the one that needs to do it, Scott because all his tricks aren't working and me because what I used to do, doesn't work completely anymore.  She nurses and then wants to go lay down, but then she just plays.  It is frustrating.  But we (Scott and I) need to figure out how we can help her learn how to do this.

I got a book out of the library on yoga and she LOVES it!  She will say "I want to do yoga" and loves to try and do the different poses.  We will sit down and go through the book.  She will do the pose and then take a deep breath.  It is the greatest thing!  Tonight she was doing "swan pose" in the shower.  She (like all other children) loves to move her body and is constantly amazed at what her body does.  It is so fun to watch and be a part of.  I want to keep that amazement alive and nurture her sense of wonder and fun. 

 

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun....

First of all: Happy Birthday Megan!!

Maya has been growing so quickly.  It seems as if she has gone through, or is in the middle of going through a big developmental spurt.  She is telling more stories, having longer conversations, crying a lot, skipping her nap, telling us what to do..... mostly good, mostly fun, a little bit tiring :)

She is into everything, especially calling people on the phone and talking to them (imaginary conversations). It is a lot of fun to listen to her call her cousins or Aunties and Uncles and ask what they are doing and tell them about Tank barking at the people outside or a recent event that happened.  

We have a puzzle that was given to Maya at Christmas of the United States and she is getting pretty darn good at it.  She can probably place at least 50% of them in the right spot and knows the name of the state based on the shape.  She will point to where Kentucky is and ask: "Where's 'Tucky?" And apparently her daddy told her that the little bunny on the state of Arkansas is pooping, because every time she puts this piece in, she says "The bunny pooping!" Great, Scott, thanks.  

She also knows who lives in each state.  Papa and Tutu in California, Nana and Grandpa Cal in Hawaii, Gramma and Papa in Ohio..... 

Since things are starting to warm up a bit, and we have had a few dry days lately, she has been playing outside on her play-structure more often.  She runs around underneath the slide and tunnel and says "Where's Maya?"  The other day she was out there, reveling in the notion that I was inside and she was outside and called me over to the window to look at what she had done. Well, what she had done was take handfuls of dirt out of the strawberry planter that I have on the back porch and thrown it all over the porch and stairs. She was very pleased with what she had done.  I asked her what I should do, since that was a big mess that I now needed to clean up, and she proceeded to put my hat on to cover her eyes, and say "Mama!  I can't see you!"  It was really hard not to laugh.