Update on M!

The M-ster has also been a busy girl lately!  She is just a flutter-by of energy, which has earned her the nickname of "Speedy" from Daddy!  She RUNS from activity to activity and we're working on cleaning up one before starting another!

M is a daredevil in the water - ever since we went swimming with the AJ fam over Easter, she just doesn't feel she needs a floatation device OR parents holding her.  It's a struggle to keep her afloat some times!!  I'm pretty sure we're seeing a need for swimming lessons in the NEAR future!  Maybe this fall?

I'm not sure when to make it "official", but M has been rocking the big girl undies for quite some time.  We continue to use a diaper at night (not sure when to give that up - she still wakes up with a pretty soggy dipe most nights) and have gone back to it at naps as well.  She just sleeps so much better - and her sleeping well means happy days for all of us!  : )

If M could, she would have  PB&J for every meal.  She is still a pretty good eater - and will USUALLY eat what is on her plate.  She can always be counted on for peas, most any fruit, applesauce, yogurt, chicken (usually), cheese, crackers, cereal, eggs, pancakes, and just ANY kind of sweet, ever.  (oops, I think she got that from me!) 

M loves to do projects - and her favorite "tools" (when closely supervised) are my stamps (and ink and cleaner), glue (any form!), finger paints (we just have to make sure she doesn't scoop all of the paint out at once. . .), stickers (sometimes on baby bro-bro), markers (especially the permanent ones which are quickly whisked away!), and crayons sometimes too.  I have been waiting impatiently for when I could color in coloring books again with my little girl and the time has come!  It's such a fun activity to sit and color with her.  Love it.

We took M in to the doctor for a mole on her foot the other day, and she actually referred us to a dermatologist.  While, obviously, we took her in because we were concerned, I really had wanted her to say it's all ok, no big deal.  Praying that it's benign or very easily removed.  Either way - we have a dermatologist appointment at the end of the month.

We went through some rough nights just about the time I went back to work (fabulous), but M has gotten back on track (thankfully).  When she wasn't sleeping through the night or was waking up early, we started pushing her bedtime back (some nights as late as 8:30/9:00), thinking we were just expecting too much sleep from her.  Turns out we needed to get back to the old routine (starting sleepytime routine about 7:15ish), and since then things have been pretty awesome.

Being a parent is tough some times, but I think some key things I have learned (but certainly not fully mastered!) are consistency, routine, level temper (especially during discipline!) and an abundance of love (well that one just comes pretty naturally!).

"M just doing some squirting!"