"Get the timer!"

Here's a little dialogue that took place between Jovey and her daddy recently:

Daddy: Jovey, please listen, or you will have to go to time out!
Jovey: I don't wanna listen, Daddaaayy!
Daddy: OK, to time out you go. Sit right there until I tell you to get up.
Jovey: Sighhhh. . .Get the timer, Daddy!

I'm thinking she knows all about the timeout thing, huh?

Just the right words

There are certain days when your children, no matter how wonderful or how cute, just tend
to. . .wear on every last nerve you possess. I had a day like that the other day, mostly due to lack of sleep, where everything was exaggerated and just not tolerated well by Jovey or myself.

So, to redeem herself, or so it seemed, Jovey decided to come up with 2 of the sweetest phrases, besides, "I love you, mommy." As we were sitting together, me still getting my emotions and thoughts together from the day before, Jovey says ever so sweetly, "Mommy, you're my friend" as she patted my leg. Of course, I melted and wanted to take back any inpatience or bad thoughts I had had of my beautiful, innocent little girl! Then, later, as I was begging her for a nap, and singing all the songs I could think of to calm her, even in her refusal to nap, she says, "Mommy, you're a great singer!" She grinned so large, knowing that was a good thing to say, and of course, I hugged her with all my might, needing to hear a compliment right then more than ever.

How can you deny such sweet sentiment from such big, wide eyes? I just know that someday, those phrases will come fewer and far between, so I cherish them now. . .even if she is learning to use them to make up for her earlier indescretions! :-)

Growing Pains

I have always dealt with my little girl's growing up with such grace and very little emotion. She walked early, ate by herself early, talks constantly, and through it all, I have thought it was just normal for her, so no big deal. However, last night, I had my first major mommy moment, tears and all, as my baby girl fast made a decision to let go of yet another baby need.

A couple of nights ago, Jovey had a horrible bout with a night terror. She had experienced nightmares here and there, but could usually calm herself. This particular incident, there was no calming down, and we did what we said we would never do after an hour of her all but making her self sick from crying. . .put her into bed with us, where she finally calmed down, laying there motionless and wide awake for 30 minutes. Poor baby!

Last night, as we attempted to try her crib again, she broke down and started majorly crying saying, "I can't sleep in my bed. It hurt me." We don't know what that was all about, but we knew we didn't want to do the family bed thing again, and we needed to figure out how to get her comfortable in her own space again. We offered her the big girl toddler bed that we had planned to introduce after the new year, as our new baby would need our crib. Excitedly, she said yes, and her whole dimeanor changed from panic-stricken to elated! We laid her down with a pillow and a clean blanket, and she slept beautifully through the night, with not even one attempt to get out and run around, my biggest fear.

My baby is becoming a big girl, which we have been encouraging lately, as we prepare our house and all it's occupants for a new baby, but when it happens with little warning, it sure can be awfully real! We thank God for our healthy, independent big girl, but mommy will always somewhat miss that baby, helpless, "I can only do it with your help" attitude.

'Til we meet again. . .

Jovey, as I have written before, has quite the vocabulary. In fact, she carries on a conversation better than some of my little kindergarteners back when I was receiving monetary compensation for my work as a teacher. :-) Lately, she has learned to use yet another word in context. While riding in the car the other day with Joshua and I, she says from the back seat, (words quoted directly), "Mommy, will you hold my water 'til I can get my shoe on, please?" Joshua looked at me as if to say, "what did she say?" We asked her to repeat it and of course, she repeated the same exact sentence. Laughing the whole time, I held her water. How could I deny such a well thought out and spoken request? Tonight, she used the word again. This time, she said, "Will you hold my colors (crayons in Jovey language) 'til I get my coloring book?" I am always amazed with how even young kiddos pick up those little words in our language and truly use them as their own with such ease and understanding. Just one question, "Can someone slow my daughter's learning down 'til I can catch up with her?" :-)

Baby Names

When asking Jovey if she would like for mommy to have a boy baby or a girl baby, she always replies, "a boy baby, mommy!" Then, the next question, "What should we name, or call the baby boy?" Usually, it's just baby, but tonight, while in the bathtub, Jovey replied, "ummm. . .Daddy's Boy!" Now that is something we hadn't considered!