Every single day, Liv amazes me. From one week to the next, she becomes more and more like a miniature adult. There really isn't anything that she can not communicate with us. She is saying 3 to 4 word sentences. She tells stories, asks questions, tells jokes (her favorite is "guess what?.....Chickenbutt"), etc. I know it is a trade off because along with the increase in communication she is able to let me know when she isn't happy. the tantrums have peaked (at least I hope). Unfortunately, Liv has visited the "STAIR" as her "TIME TO THINK" SEAT. I began putting her there after her 20th attempt and success at climbing ontop of the kitchen island. She definitely has taken this climbing to a-whole-nother level. The bad news is that the "TIME TO THINK"seat is not successful because she actually enjoys it.....argh. Quick mom, time to think of another tactic.....
Back to all of Liv's Charming Qualities.......after two years of attachment parenting, I feared sending her to a ballet class that did not involve parent particiation. I thought she would be the cling on and the one not wanting me to be in the waiting room. Can you believe, she ran into that room so excited and did not look back once? I guess my instant responses to her needs for the past 2 years, gave her the confidence that I would not leave her. I hold my breathe each time we go, but she has so much fun and has no clue there is a mirrored window for me to admire her through. The pride in her face after the class is priceless and so beautiful. If only I can always be watching her through a mirrored window.......or maybe not :)
On another note.....we just had Liv's 2 year check up this week and we need to celebrate...........she is finally not hanging by the skin of her teeth off the negative charts for her weight. We probably have GPop to thank for that and the morning breakfast dates. Who knows what she was able to get away with eating there? (Dad, I got my peeps at Uncle Bill's watching you....ha) Since we have been playing doctor alot at home to help her cure her fear of the doctors, she did not cry until the very end. And she really was crying because she was tired of waiting for the doctor (and the two shots weren't that pleasant either)
Some super adorable things that Liv does right now that if I don't write down I will forget are: Eating her nose, being obsessed with her mini purse (it is really a diary lock that she thinks is a purse), doing down dog and tree pose, wearing her rainboots ALL of the time (even when she is naked), has a secret stash of binkies in her bottom dresser that I just found....that little sneak, pretending she is sleeping on daddy's side of bed and snoring really loud, brushing her teeth like 20times in a row, only wanting peepeol vitamins (purple), eating trees with daddy's dip (broccoli and ranch), singing the wheels on the bus(loves the horn verse), mooning the entire story time group, walking Crystal around the block in her stroller, the list goes on...........
My life is so fulfilled because of Liv. She is so amazing and I feel so lucky to have her. Even though, at times, we try to push her and encourage her to be a risk taker (For ex, going on a ride at the boardwalk, going up to see dora up close), we am so proud of her personality. If only she keeps it up, we will not have to worry about her being a risk taker and getting into trouble. She may be into extreme sports though,........Ms. I climb on top of ANYTHING. I still can not believe that we made her (from scratch). Even though every day I try to hold onto what she is (in the moment), I also can see that the older she gets the enormous amount of pride I have in her. It has only been two years, I can't even imagine in ten....twenty.....thirty......fifty......seventy. My love for her grows everyday, every hour, every minute......
Even though day in and day out I feel like my life revolves around diapers, crumbs, dirty laundry, empty fridges, constant Uh-Oh spills, messy closets........if you put them all together, you get one beautiful, intelligent, innocent,loving daughter that is cuter than a button. Our life with her is so much fun. It may have taken 12 years of schooling, 4 years of undergrad, 2 years of graduate school, 5 years of teaching raging hormonal kids, 10 months of pregnancy, and 18 months of sleep deprivation to get where I am. I would do it all again just to have Livi exactly the way she is right now. She means the world to me. One day,she will read this.........Livi (Doodle), I know you may not remember these early toddler days being at home with mommy 24/7, but I hope you know how loved you are and how fulfilled you make my life. (Three hand squeezes) ROCK
