Amazed

I wonder if as a parent you ever stop being amazed by your children. I certainly hope not. I love that every day this girl will surprise me with what she says or does. Last night as we were preparing for bedtime, Ella was naked, running around in a circle as she sang the "Wheels on the Bus." She did it with such freedom, purpose and energy that I found myself just smiling with pride swelling inside me as I watched her. Maybe with her birthday quickly approaching (two weeks!), I'm more reflective and aware of how much growth and development she's achieved in two brief years. It's not a statement of how "advanced" I think my child is compared to other kids (because I don't think she's advanced just on par), but how fascinating it is what all kids learn to do in two brief years. How did this baby that popped out of me become this defiant, stubborn yet positively adorable little person running our household?

The most recent new developments:

*She now will "sshhh" us when she doesn't want to listen to us anymore. She puts her little finger to her lips and tells us to be quiet, especially if we're in the car singing to the radio.

*Speaking of the radio, Ella now expects, better yet demands, Sirius' Kid Stuff station almost every time she's in the car. Don't think you can fool her with another station. That girl knows when we try to pull a fast one and quickly calls us on it.

*She said the word "actually" yesterday. I attempted to explain that mommy was actually the one that possessed X object (I can't remember what we were discussing), but she stopped me in mid-sentence and said "Actually, it's daddy's," and quickly ended that debate.

*At dinner, Ella wanted mommy's drink which was a Diet Dr. Pepper in a styrofoam cup. I told her she couldn't have any because it was like coffee and was only for grown ups. She said, "No mommy that not like coffee." Again, the girl is on to us.

*She repeatedly asks for Payton to spend the night. Our standard response is always soon. Ella now responds with "Tuesday or Friday." Guess, these must be her favorite days of the week. I didn't even know she knew specific days until I heard "Tuesday" for the first time.

*She also has asked lately to go visit Aaron and Carter. (We've been trying but that household can't kick the various bugs going around.) I told her a fib the other day and I said they were out of town and when they were back that we would go over to see them. (They had been out of town one weekend, but weren't on the day Ella asked about them.) A few days later we were looking at "Ella's pictures" on Flickr. When we came across the picture of the kids from New Year's Eve, Ella unprompted said "Aaron and Carter out of town." This girl doesn't seem to forget anything we say.

I just love that little creature.