Let's start with potty training. I'd say we're about 75% there. We've only been working on it seriously for the last week and a half, but she's doing really well. For a while she wouldn't tell us when she needed to go, it was more of us watching the clock and just telling her it was time. That worked well, very few accidents. But, this week she's been getting much better about telling us.
We use diapers at bedtime, since she still wakes up wet in the morning, and at nap time, although she usually wakes up dry from her naps. We also use a pull-up when we leave the house. Like I said, we're only about 75% there, so we're pretty cautious. :) Other than that, she's in panties all the time. Addy LOVES her panties. She usually insists on wearing them over her diaper or pull-up. We started with Minnie Mouse and Dora panties.
Oh, and she doesn't like to use the potty insert we have. She prefers to sit on the big potty like everyone else. Her treat of choice right now is Reece's Pieces. She gets 3 of them when she goes.
Last weekend we ditched her pacifiers! And no, it wasn't her idea. To be honest, I was sick of them. They were getting in the way of her listening/obeying. This became the norm: "Addy it's time to"...get dressed, go somewhere, brush teeth, take a bath, you name it. She would climb up on her bed and lay with her pacifiers and suck on them (she's only allowed to have them in bed). So it became normal for us to respond with, "Addy, this is your last warning. If you don't listen I'm going to put you in time out." And she was getting time out far more often than ever before, like daily or a couple times/day. She wasn't in time out once/week before that. So the pacis had to go! We were tired of competing with them!
Our friends at church have a baby girl who was born at the end of July. Addy LOVES her. Adores her. So, a week ahead of time I asked her if she'd give her pacis to baby Ashlynn. She agreed! Not really understanding what she was agreeing to, but we talked about it all week how baby Ashlynn needed the pacis because she was a baby, and Addy didn't need them since she was a big girl. Sunday came and Addy was a champ. Ashlynn ended up not being there, but her dad was, so we gave him all the pacis to give to Ashlynn. Then he gave Addy a new Barbie, or as Addy calls them "dolly". I was hoping that if Addy got something in return it would help!
All was well until nap time. Oh my. Let's just say she grieved for a couple days. She didn't nap at all Sunday. Bedtimes took a little longer for a few days. But, each day got better. She still asks for her pacis every now and then, but she doesn't cry over them like she did earlier this week!
Those are the two biggest changes going on for her right now. And at the same time, which wasn't planned, it just worked out that way.
Now for a few pictures of our silly girl. She discovered my rollers and wanted to wear them in her hair!
Hopefully she'll want to wear rollers when she actually has enough hair. I used to wear sponge rollers to bed when I was a kid and woke up with curly hair. I loved it.
Addy also has been more aware of how I wear my hair. She'll comment, "mommy's hair in a pony tail". Then she told me she wanted her hair in a pony tail like mine. So during a Target run, we bought some little hair bands for her hair. She doesn't have much hair to pull up, but we did our best! And Addy loved it, which was the best part!
This is a very normal look for Addy these days:
She's really getting into dressing up. She's into being a princess these days, too. Not necessarily the Disney princesses, but just dressing up in a tutu skirt and crown Grandma L bought her. We've talked about the Disney princesses, but she doesn't like it when I tell her their names! "No, not Cinderella, princess. No, not Ariel, princess" and on and on. She does like watching Beauty and the Beast at the end where they dance. And she will refer to Belle by her name, but that's the only one!
Addy's been into dancing for quite a while, but now she likes to sing just as much! And, she's actually singing real songs. A few of her favorites: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat", "Baby" by Justin Bieber, "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond, "Jesus Loves Me", and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands".
Let's start with "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond. Ever since she was born, Steven and I have always sung that song to her changing the name to Adeline. Well, she sings it now! And she likes to watch Neil Diamond sing it on Youtube! Here's Addy's version!
Then she sang "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands". Now, to help you out, here's how I sing it to her: first verse I don't change... He's got the whole world in His hands. Second verse: He's got you, me, and daddy in His hands. Third verse: He's got our new little baby in His hands. Here's Addy's version!
Now I just want to document some of the things she says and the way she says them. My favorite thing she says right now is, "Mommy (and/or Daddy), Addy loves you".
She likes to watch Blue's Clues, but she says, "goo shoes".
She loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and until recently, when she would ask to watch it she would say she wanted to watch, "my mouse".
Burp cloth = "goff off"
Pancakes = "panpakes"
Stuck = "guck"
Christmas = "Chrit mas"
She applauds Steven and me when we go potty. She says, "good job" or "good girl" (yes, even to Steven!)
I love that she can get out of her bed on her own, but always waits for us to come get her (because we told her to when she first got the bed) or for permission from us to get down on her own.
We sometimes get a better response from her if we refer to her as Princess Adeline. For example, "Addy, put your shoes on, please". Nothing. "Princess Adeline, put your shoes on, please". Immediate obedience. :)
Oh, there are so many more! I've been trying to remember all the things she says, but now I'm forgetting them all! I'll have to come back and update this post if I can remember them!
