Toddler Thoughts

Keeley cracks me up on a daily basis with the things she says and does. I just love watching her mind work. Here are a few examples:

* Daddy can fix EVERYTHING. A book page that gets torn, the stroller wheels get muddy, the swing at the park is wet. To every problem we encounter, Keeley looks at me thoughtfully and, with a nod of her head, says "dada fix it". Apparently he is the hero. Never mind the fact that I spend all day every day with her!! Daddy has the solutions and power to fix everything.

* She runs to the back door and yells "Maggie". Then she proceeds to open the back door, let Carbo in, and close the back door with Maggie still outside. This is followed by a look to me and a laugh. No idea why this is funny to her but she does it all the time.

* She is much more into pretending. How cute is she reading her book to Cassie?


* She remembers things better now. We told her today that we would go ride the carousel at the mall after her nap. The very first thing she said when she woke up was "ride horsies" She was very excited as we waited for Kayden to wake up. The entire way to the mall she talked about the horsies and then she seemed terrified while we were there and refused to actually ride on a horse.

Here we are on a bench.
Kelly wasn't so lucky. All the benches were taken when he got on with her so he was the dad standing on the carousel holding a toddler next to a horse the whole time. We rode the carosel three times. You'd think one of those times she'd get on a "horsie" that goes "up down up down". You would be wrong to think that.And, just in case you were wondering. She is wearing pajamas. Are they clean pajamas? Absolutely not. She wore them to bed last night and then all day today. They were her selection when she and Kelly went to Little Gym and for the mall. I thought I was going to outsmart her because she let me take them off when I changed her diapers. I was wrong though because she then quickly insisted that would be what she wore to the mall.

I think that other parents must look at me oddly. I spend a decent amount of time and energy getting myself ready. I try to shower, fix my hair and make-up, and put on nice clothes every day. Why then does my daughter always look like a ragamuffin? I suppose I just don't see what is so wrong with letting her wear what she wants to as long as it is weather appropriate. Do I wish that she wore cute dresses and boots and actually let me do something with her hair? Yes. Am I glad that she is independent (and strong willed) enough to make decisions about how she presents herself to the world? Absolutely. Just know that when you see her and her hair is a bit scraggly and her clothes are interesting, that I am doing my best to allow her to express herself and develop independence - not neglecting her!