Upcoming Birthday

Hello everyone!

I have a few pictures I'd like to share, I apologize if they aren't in chronological order.

We have three people I need to thank for this photo. The first, being Rachel's Aunt Connie who sent her this adorable tutu. Rachel's so tiny that she's not fitting into a lot of 24 mo - 2T stuff. So Geri altered it so Rachel can wear it and it poofs out a little extra. In addition, my friend Jenny Smitherman let me take this pooh rocking bear from her garage sale for free and Rachel LOVES it! Look at that face!

Rachel can actually (and does often) say "Tutu!" and insist on wearing it. Most of the time it's over an outfit that doesn't match. She just likes to wear it. At least one day I was able to get her to wear the tutu with the adorable shirt it came with. This doll stroller was an awesome find for $1 from a garage sale. She LOVES pushing her babies around in it.

Sometimes she likes to sit in it and is reminded each time that she really is too big for it.

"ON!" Rachel likes to turn on lights and turn them off. I finally showed her how to move the chair over to the light switch so I don't keep having to lift her up to do this. I'm afraid some of our switches in our house will not out last the abuse that she gives them. But we're thrilled she's starting to understand concepts. On, Off, Up, Down, etc. She can't always say the words, but she is trying and can nod in agreement.....or disagreement...

Last weekend after a trip to Gymboree to check it out, Rachel passed out in the car. With her mouth open. It was priceless.

Yesterday I had asked mom if she wanted to go shopping with Rachel and I while Jason was out running errands. Mom asked for Rachel to stay the night. While we were at their house Rachel let me sit her on GrampE's tractor. She even sat on my lap and let me turn it on!

Since I couldn't remember how to lift the loader and really didn't want to drive with Rachel on my lap, I put her on GrampE's.

I managed to take this photo right before GrampE moved the tractor just a bit, which sent Rachel howling and pouting. She was scared. Soon she'll be asking to drive it, that's how all of us Grandkids were!

I've had a lot of people ask me what to get Rachel for her upcoming birthday. The answer I keep giving is "NOTHING". This child needs nothing else! So I'm going to go ahead and give out a few ideas if anyone is going to insist on getting her anything, not because I would like to encourage gift giving, on the contrary. I'm giving out ideas so we don't end up with more toys. Rachel could benefit from:

• More sippy cups, but not the kind with straws (she insists on lifting every glass she drinks from, so those kind of defeat the purpose).
• Money - we have a savings account set up for Rachel, so if you wanted to give her money to invest, we will put it into her savings account for her. If you go this route, we would feel better if it was kept small so we can put it in her piggy bank!
• Clothes - right now she's too short for 2T, but will grow into them soon. She really could use some more 24 - 2T tops. We're good on pants for right now. Or matching outfits are even better!
• Coins - I have been contemplating starting a coin collection for Rachel to add to as she gets older. It's a good investment, it can be a fun hobby, and hopefully might buy her a car when she's 16? Or go towards college?

Again, Rachel's at that age where she doesn't understand birthdays and since this year's falls on Thanksgiving we'll probably just add an extra cake to the festivities. So Jason and I really aren't buying her anything "for her birthday". I'd like to encourage everyone else to do the same, you all already do so much for her! When she's old enough to understand why there's a party, we'll happily jump on board with presents (although I will always prefer people don't purchase her a bunch of stuff, that's just me!) We really appreciate all that everyone has done for us to give us parents a break and also for all the fun stuff you get her (clothes, toys, accessories). Hence why I'm not too keen on asking for items for her birthday.

We will be in Evansville for Thanksgiving this year. We haven't decided yet if we're coming down on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, but we will be there for the long weekend.

Some other things Rachel's doing....

We're finally breaking her of calling both her special blanket(s) and pacifier "nigh nigh". We (I) mostly call them by their proper names with her only calling them "nigh nigh". Within the past 2 weeks she's started calling her blanket "Blankie", but it actually comes out "mockie" (which sadly sounds a lot like what she calls Monty, "Monkie", so it can get confusing.)

She's trying so hard to talk more! She'll have complete conversations and sentences, but we might only understand one word.

This past week she went to the doctor for her 2 year "well visit" and they said she's doing really great. They didn't give her any shots, she's all caught up! And we can now switch her from whole milk to skim milk, and we need to start toning it down. They also sent home some literature like they always do, but in it is said that at this stage the child should be talking more, although you might only understand half of it (yay! we're normal!) It also said that the child will become very picky about eating and only eat when they're hungry...not to worry about what the child eats in a day, but be more concerned about what she eats over the course of a few days. Again, a relief. We CANNOT get Rachel to eat meat and vegetables, which is what her doctor several weeks ago said we should be giving her. I have been at my wits end trying to get Rachel to eat, and she just refuses. One night, and I kid you not, I managed to get her to eat ONE bite off of a piece of string cheese. That was her entire dinner. I think she might have had a cup of milk or juice, but I put her to bed and felt like a horrible parent. But she's at the stage, she eats when she's hungry, and most of the time she gets mad if we won't give her chips or pretzels or animal crackers. BAH!!! Fruit, dairy, and bread she'll eat just fine. But the stuff we need her to eat? NOPE. It's frustrating. So if she hops in my lap and wants to eat off of my plate, I let her. This is a game I don't like playing.

Rachel can get into just about any door we have in the house now, which was cute at first but is annoying now. Because she can get in the pantry and pull out stuff from the bottom shelf, and if we don't make it for her or let her eat it, she gets mad and throws a fit. I've taken to hiding all the chips, crackers and cookies in the upper cabinets, but let's say we get in one to get out a plate, she spies the packaging and it really doesn't help much. She likes to get in the fridge and freezer to point to what she wants. Sometimes that works, sometimes that ends in a time out for her. She doesn't quite get time out, so it normally involves me holding her in a corner while she kicks, screams and fights to get out of it. I know most parents say, "Just wait until they can talk, you'll wish for the days when they couldn't!" Yeah, I doubt that here. The lack of communication between us and her leaves all of us frustrated and on edge at times, so I'm ready for her to understand bargaining, consequences, and also for her to tell us what she wants. Right now we do our best to anticipate what she's going to do next. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does.

But we can see a huge change in her communication abilities, and it really is helping with the fits and frustrations. She likes to point to items in the room and ask "What's that?" We do this a lot so she can learn the words of items in the rooms.

She can identify most of her body parts at this age, tell you what an animal is in a book and what sound it makes, she can identify and say some of her colors, some of the time. And if you count to about 5 or 6, she'll say something along with you, although it's not the actual number. But she does recognize that you're counting.

She is interested in the potty and at day care they say she'll sometimes identify when she's got a dirty diaper and somehow communicate that she needs to be changed.

One thing at day care we CANNOT break the habit of is for her to keep her shoes on. She insists on taking them off and walking around in her socks, even outside!! So we've had to take in some of Jason's old socks and they put those on her over her shoes to keep them on. It's turned her white shoes kind of a blue color, but at least it is breaking the habit. So we have to work with her to keep shoes on at home. :o(

They have broken her of the pacifier need at day care. I am not yet ready to fight that fight here at home. It would be different if I worked from home and could work with her to get rid of it. When she seems done with it in the mornings I will take it and hide it and only give it to her when she asks for it. Sometimes I'll ask for her to give it to me when I can tell she's playing and doesn't need it. This is one of those battles I've decided to tackle when she's able to talk, reason and bargain. I know I'm enabling this habit, it's one I don't care when we break it. She doesn't need it all the time, but it allows us to get sleep and have a happier child. I'm grateful she doesn't suck her thumb, so this is one bad habit I'll allow!