21 Months

My little girl is definitely getting closer to the toddler stage...if she isn't already in it as we speak. Last weekend she had her first kicking, screaming, make mommy and daddy crazy, tantrum. She has had one crying fit before, but it was on the day she ended up having the stomach flu so it was nothing compared to our little "episode" in the mall the other day. I was quite surprised that Joey and I reacted so well to it. We just stared at each other and laughed. We took it with great ease. I did feel sick to my stomach after leaving the mall...as if I had just been traumatized. It was really hard for me to see my sweet daughter act, well, so bad. Anyhow, after experiencing the past few days with a more toddler prone child I would have to say that the best advice I have ever received was from my little sister who told me to "start putting Presley on the potty now so that it would be a natural part of her routine." I have heard that the toddler age is usually difficult because of their desire to be independent. Presley threw herself into a tantrum at the mall the other day, basically, because she wanted to assert her independence. I am so glad that Presley enjoys sitting on the potty...usually I read her a book or we go over her sponge ABC's that she plays with in the bathtub. However, sometimes she gets a little confused as to what and where the "potty" is...lol.

Elmo still goes everywhere with her. Two weeks ago we watched Reid and Grant while Sara and Brian enjoyed a weekend getaway. Presley was so cute with Grant. Whenever he cried she would get so concerned. One day, I put him down for a nap and he fussed a little bit. Presley kept coming up to me saying, "Gant, Gant, Gant." A few minutes later I found her sitting by his bedroom door. She was so cute about him and I definitely saw her caring heart come out. It was also during this time that I really saw Presley begin to experiment with creative, imaginative, and dramatic play....I think she learned this from observing Reid. This week she has been playing with her Elmo dolls and dressing up in all of her play clothes. She feeds, rocks, and reads to her Elmos...she also takes them to go potty, the REAL potty, EEK! She loves to set out her stuffed animals and read to them. Sometimes I will find her sitting next to the puppy's kennel reading him a book. ;-) Presley's mind is like a little sponge and she's just soaking up everything around her. She is still picking up on new words daily, but she is also starting to speak in phrases. She knows a few numbers, letters, shapes, and colors- we try to practice them daily through fun little activities. She also has some funny "quirks" about her. For some reason, just within the past month, she likes to organize things. Every night during bath time she organizes and sets out all of her bath toys on the ledge of the tub. Sometimes, I will try to move one or two while she isn't looking, but she moves them right back where they were....to her liking. ;-)

Presley loves to push things around. She is always pushing her elmos around in her baby stroller at home. She also loves glasses. She tries to make everything and anything into glasses.
Presley is a sweetheart, but she is stubborn and entering into the toddler years. Right now, her favorite word is "no!" She says "no" to everything and anything (even when it doesn't make sense to say it!) I have had to stop asking her questions all together. Instead, I tell her how it is! I say things like... time to eat, time to take a bath, time to take a nap, time to sit on the potty, time to clean up. The only thing that she does on her own without complaint or saying "no" to is feeding the dogs. She loves it...she loves the pouring out of food from one container into the next and she does it all day, every day! She is quite dramatic about things, but has a very tender heart. Sometimes I have to watch myself because her feelings get hurt VERY easily. She is very observant, cautious, and concerned about others. She has a very meek disposition and I have noticed that she also has a very kind way about her. I am hoping that, as a mother, I can help nourish and enhance these strengths into positive character qualities. I love this little girl and wouldn't change a thing about her!