I cannot believe that Selah will be turning 2 in just three short months. It seems like everyday she is becoming more independent and growing her little personality. She says "I do it" when I'm trying to feed her or brush her teeth. It's so funny to note the differences between how I treated Jackson (the FIRST) and how I'm treating Selah (the next). I've really tried to encourage Jackson to be independent, try things, experiement, even at the cost of my clean house. But when Selah says "I do it" my mind immediately flashes to me cleaning up the shipwrecked aftermaths of all her maiden voyages in toddlerhood. It's just so much easier when "mommy do it." But I'm really trying to let go and allow her those same shipwrecks that Jackson had. (I can only imagine how hard this is when they get to be teenagers!!) As we head towards 2, she is also starting to throw herself on the ground in a temper tantrum when she doesn't get something she wants. I'm trying my best to remember all those great parenting articles I read about how to deal with these tantrums...you know, when I read articles. Hmm...might be time to renew that subscription to Parents magazine.
Selah's blossoming independence is not entirely like a scene from Braveheart, though. There are two really sweet phrases I hear frequently throughout the day:
1- I show you
Sometimes I get frustrated when I can't understand somthing she is trying to tell me, so I started saying "show me." She picked up on this and will use the phrase herself. I'll be working on something and she'll come take my hand and say "I yo you." She will lead me to something, maybe a toy she wants me to play with her or something that she wants but can't reach, and say "here." I love the communication!
2 - I help you
The first time it happened I was folding laundry. I was taking a stack of folded clothes to my room to put them away, leaving behind a few other stacks to put in other rooms. I heard her following behind me saying "I hep you." When I turned around I saw her carrying what was once a pile of neatly folded washcloths. It was now a wad of a few washcloths with several other dropped behind her like a trail of breadcrumbs to lead her back to the living room. Yes, I had to re-fold all of them, but honestly I wasn't upset. It was so sweet! She often asks to "hep" me now, and of course I'm trying to encourage that! Now when I'm putting away laundry I will intentionally give her a few items to carry to make her feel like she's helping without destroying one of my piles!
Last cute thing: She is playing much more independently these days too. Her favorite thing is to take piles of stuff and move them to another location. Yesterday she was playing in Jackson's room. When I found her she had taken all of his suffed animals and piled them in the middle of his floor. She had also taken all of his shoes out of the closet and laid them neatly in a row. Here she was carefully lining up all of Jackson's racecars. She really keeps herself busy! And she LOVES her brother!
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