Happy and Excited or Nervous and Anxious?

Being the mom to a very adorable 4 year old little girl, I am very careful how I label feelings. I believe that if, instead of asking her if she's nervous about something that might make someone nervous (first day of school, swimming lessons, etc.), I should be asking her if she's excited and that this will be a great benefit to her in the long run. We watched a documentary on Aly Raisman (US Gymnastics girl) and she talked about this. She was asked if she was nervous about performing at the Olympics and her response was that no, she was excited and it's all about how you label that feeling that will put you in the right mind set to succeed. (Probably... no, definitely not her exact words, but it's what I got out of it.) When I heard her say that, I thought, "Wow, she is so mature for such a young girl." I wonder if her mother taught her this. I wonder if her mother was careful about how she labeled certain feelings.

I'm Just Freaking Out

Finally something worth posting here. A Leah Story. They are pretty entertaining, but then again, I am also kiiiinda biased. For those that don’t know, she’s 2. 31 months.

Earlier tonight she was throwing a fit at the dinner table about the butter. (The kid would eat the entire bucket of butter if I let her. Gross.) At first, E and I tried the whole, “let’s just ignore her and she’ll stop” method. And well, if you have kids, you know how well that DOESN’T work. Ever. But yet, we continue to try to use it. Right before the freak-out about the butter, she had a freak-out about the tv. Again, if we let her, she’d sit in front of it and watch Angelina Ballerina over and over and over again on Netflix Instant. But, I am fully convinced that both these freak-outs have everything to do with the fact that she has watched too much tv lately. It turns her into Damien’s apprentice.

Did I get sidetracked? It happens. A lot.

After I get Leah calmed down from her melt down, she starts talking in some gibberish language she made up. At first, I don’t mind, but after she kept doing it for a few minutes, it really started to freak me out. I told her to cut it out. She wouldn’t. (Shocking.) After basically pleading with her to please stop talking in tongues, she finally stopped. Then asked me what kind of words those were. I told her they were just fake words and that Mommy didn’t like them. She said, "I don’t like them either." (Not freaky at all, right??) Then I ask her if she was having a stroke. She thought about it for a minute and said, "Ummmm...no...I don’t think so." So I asked her if she was having a seizure. She said, "Ummmm...no...I’m just freaking out."

You and me both, kid. You and me both.

October 5, 2009

Dear Leah,

Today you said "bye Grammy" for the first time.  "Grammy" has been a hard one for you to learn.  Some words, you only have to hear them once and you can say them clear as day.  Others, it takes a little practice.  And some, you won't even attempt yet.  As Grammy was getting ready to leave, I was holding you and you turned and looked at her and said, "Bye, G-ammy" with no prompts from us!  It was the cutest of cute.

You regularly count to 10 all by yourself with no help or encourgement from us.  This amazes me to no end.  You are so smart already!  Last night when I was reading you your bedtime story, there was a page with 9 stars on it.  You pointed at the stars and said, "twinkle twinkle".  The cuteness you exude kills me on a daily basis.  You say "thank you" at all the right moments, but it sounds more like, "sank-um".  We are still working on "please" but you do say it on occassion.

Everyone says you look like me.  I think you look like...you.

September 27, 2009

Dear Leah,

First, I want you to know that you are such a good little girl.  I don't know how Daddy and I ever got so lucky.  We must have definitely done something right at some point in time. :) You sleep well and eat well.  (Boy do you eat well...you love your food!  Just like your Momma!)  You play well by yourself, but LOVE other little kids.  You are a really laid back and easy to please individual, and Daddy and I thank you for that so very much!  :)  You love to be outside.  Every day you ask us to go "ou-side" and to put your "sheeews" (shoes) on.  You are so smart, you continue to amaze me every day.  You can count, you recognize numbers and letters and so many different objects, I couldn't even begin to list them.  Right now, the big thing is trucks and busses.  Most of the time, we can understand what you are trying to say to us, but there are many times that you just go on and on and we have no idea what you are talking about.  You are very, very curious of your surroundings and usually, before you venture out into anything new, you take a few minutes to just sit back and observe and take it all in.  Which I think is definitely something you get from me.  I never jump into a pool, I always slowly make my way in.  You seem to be the same way right now.  You love to climb on chairs and tables and give us all minor heart attacks at least 3 times a day. ;)

I love every moment with you.  You are my favorite person in the entire world and there is not one thing I would change about the last 17 months with you.



love you to the moon and back.