Better, stronger, faster

As Amelia has grown she has become more sophisticated in a number of ways. For one thing, her speech is much more complicated now than it was even a month ago. This has been both a blessing and a curse for mommy. While Amelia used to simply ask for "juice" in the morning she now specifies whether she, in fact, wants juice, chocolate milk or water. She further specifies what color cup she would like to drink her selection out of and, on occasion, also specifies the color of straw she prefers to use that day.

And while Amelia used to enjoy dangling hangers off mommy's fingers that mommy had retrieved for her from the closet she now not only can get her own hangers from the closet but can also drop the annoying clothes placed on the hangers onto the closet floor.

Speaking of clothes falling, why is it that I can't hardly find pants that fit Amelia? Twenty-four-month-old pants fall right off her skinny butt...but that's another topic for another time.

Today mommy finally opened a toy that had been given to Diana for Christmas. As is common with toys these days opening the packaging took the patience of Job and a minor in mechanical engineering. Once the toys were out for Amelia to see, she fairly and equally divided them up. The toys were three colored bowls, a shape-sorter lid, three shapes, a bunny that laughed and talked, and a plastic spoon. Amelia generously gave her sister the plastic spoon.

Amelia's just not that great at sharing. While playing with the musical bowls in front of Diana little Diana would sometimes reach out and grab the edge of "Amelia's" toy. Amelia would then sternly, but gently, pull Diana's hand off the bowl and move it back over to Diana's play mat saying, "No, no, stay in the house!"

You see, the play gym is Diana's house, and she must frequently confine her play and movements to the area covered by her jungle play mat. If mommy is holding Diana and Amelia wants mommy's attention she will ask mommy to "Put baby down in baby's house."

We're working on sharing and empathy daily. I'm sure it will sink in at some point.

Lisa