"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. 

Funny Stuff

I know that every parent says this, even people who don't have kids recognize the fun, silly and so earnestly honest things that kids say.  Kids are FUNNY!  They crack me up.  Especially my own daughter.  

This past Sunday, we were hanging pictures in the living room and moving some things around and Scott asked Maya what she thought.  She looked at him very seriously for a moment, then started smiling and said in her happy voice:  "I like Breakfast!!".  It was so funny!  

Uh Oh! A Big Mess!

This morning Maya was playing with her crayons which are in a bowl on her drawing table.  She will drop them all on the floor and then say:  "Uh-Oh!  A big mess!"  and then proceed to pick them all up.  

Also, she had milk in a cup and decided that the dogs needed to drink it, taking turns between the two of them of course!  She was very proud of herself with that!

Maya, you are cracking me up.  Today, on the potty, you said "I have penis!!" I said, "No, you are a girl, you have a vagina." Your response was "I have a lulu."  Yes, you are right, you have a lulu.  

She has gotten very into whispering things and will whisper something at you and make her eyes really big.  It is the cutest thing.  I will tell her secrets and when I ask her if I can tell her a secret, she will whisper "secret" in response.  

Maya is loving to chase the dogs around.  Every once in a while she decides that Tank needs to run a bit and she will trot after him, around the table, up and down the stairs, all over.  He mostly tolerates it pretty well.  She will also do a good job policing him.  If he is barking at the door, I can send her over there and she tells him to stop it and he does!  I think it is because she makes him so nervous, he just wants to move out of her way, but I'll take it. 

Potty training is going well.  I think that we just need to take the plunge and not use diapers except for naps and sleeping and car rides.  Even then, we could probably get away with it on car rides and trips. She is getting really good at it.  Pooping is hit or miss. She thinks it is really cool when she actually goes in the potty, but she is still more comfortable going in her diaper. 

It is so much fun watching Maya's personality emerge.  I see her sweetness and her eagerness to DO THINGS, her impatience, her silliness and her shyness and I wonder how that will grow with her.

"Careful Mama"

Yesterday, after I got Papaya out of the shower and had her wrapped up in a towel, I walked into the kitchen holding her and hit my leg on her kitchen stool.  Immediately, she pipes up, "Careful Mama".  

As I was recounting this to Scott tonight, he reminded me that she will often say it to herself when playing or doing something.  "Careful Maya".  Just goes to show that they really do listen to what we say.  Every word.

Lately she has been very into what she likes and what she doesn't like.  We will be reading a book and in the middle of it, she will stop me and say; "I like this one"  or "I don't like this one" (if that is the case, we need to stop right away and get another one.)  Tonight she stopped me and said "I like this one, it's coola."  I don't remember saying that certain books were cool, but it cracked me up. 

She also started the why's about a month or so ago.  "Why, Mama? Why?"  or "What are you doing Mama?.... Why?"  I kind of like it.  I just keep adding information after each Why and then when I can't think of anything else, I turn it around on her and ask her some Why question.  That usually stops her for a few minutes. 

TIme passes quickly

It is hard to believe that it has been over 2 years since the Papaya has come into our lives.  She is such a joy and a blessing and so much fun!  Lately, I have been thinking about things past in my life and they seem so far away, and sometimes the pieces are fragmented.  I know that this happens as life moves along, but I don't want to forget any of this.  I want to remember all of the little things,  things like how she says "Basket-a-Ball", or "mama, leave it RIGHT HEARA, mama" (complete with hand gesture).  

I don't want to forget the pictures in my head of her dancing in the living room, learning how her body moves, or how she gets under the covers in bed and says "I sleeping" and really wants me to come and find her and tickle her. 

So, I am going to try not to.

I hope that this will be journal like, quick entries about our days, our life, our happys and our sads.