So much to say...

So much...but where to begin. Life with a 2 1/2 year old is infinitely different than life with a 2 year old. That short span of time might as well be a lifetime. They get it now...they get that they can make you laugh, cry, angry, etc. And they push everyone of those buttons whenever the mood strikes.

The morning routine is more and more challenging everyday, Maggie is the queen of stalling and will find a hundred things she needs to do before her shoes can be put on. This morning it was putting her play hammer inside her teacup and letting it fall over. Apparently that was a very important thing to accomplish at 7:19 AM when we are supposed to be out the door by 7:15 AM (I tell myself...breathe...no stress...does it really matter if I'm at work at 8:07 versus 8:16? These moments matter...right?). So we do our usual routine of dillying and dallying and finally get out the door when of course the school bus arrives for the older kids (my goal is to get in the car before the bus comes because that just adds another 5 minutes to the morning).

When we do leave late enough to see the bus (i.e., everyday), our routine is that we both have to crouch down on the sidewalk and watch all the kids board and then we can leave. So we do that and then she takes off for a walk "BY MY-SELF!" Because apparently she's allowed to just walk the neighborhood now. As she's running back she trips a little and cries so I just pick her up and put her in the car. AHA...gotcha! Well, not really because she yells at me halfway to school that she wanted to do it "BY MY-SELF!" and "STOP MOMMY STOP!!". Then all of a sudden she stops and says "Daddy's wearing jeans today, so is Maggie, Mommy's not wearing jeans".

And all is good...

OCD...reprise

I believe I have already posted about Maggie's OCD, but I felt the need to document the progression (or digression depending on how you look at it). She seems to have inherited YET ANOTHER trait from her Dad and it thrills me to know end (she says sarcastically).

Our daycare drop off ritual:
There is a ramp on one side of the entrance and steps on the other...I have to walk up the steps while Maggie walks up the ramp. In order to enter the building I have to enter a code and have my finger print scanned - while I am doing this, Maggie must turn the water faucet knob located directly below it back and forth a few times, then push this button-like thing on top, then I open the door and she goes in. We get inside and she must position the footstool in the lobby under the water fountain and get a drink.

Bedtime ritual:
She sits in her little rocking chair while I sit in the bigger one and we have to sing the following songs in this order: Chicken Dance, Rock a Bye Baby, Oh Canada, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, ABCs. A new addition to this routine is that I must have my feet on each leg of the rocking chair while she has her feet on the legs of her rocking chair...and we rock.

And all I can think is...really? Where did this come from? Oh yeah, I remember now.

She is in a funny stage right now where she can be mean as anything to me (mommy, go away!) to the sweetest little angel in the world (mommy, I want to give you a kiss and a hug, then thanks me for it) I only seem to remember the details of the sweet moments - tonight she asked for some juice and when I got up to get it for her she says in her sweetest voice "thank you mommy*".

*See heart melting...