Mckinley Lately

It seems to me that all of the sudden Mckinley is a big girl. Earlier this week she went to the dentist for the first time (which surprisingly she did amazing at!) and after her appointment her and I went to lunch. I was telling Kevin about our lunch experience and how I was so in love with getting to have lunch with just me and my girl. For the first time ever I didn't have to help her with every little detail, I could leave her at the table to get our drinks or throw away something (always still in mama's view though!) and she was responsible enough to sit there patiently. It was a strange feeling to go to lunch with my daughter and her act so grown up. It was really fun though!

Lately she does all these wonderful things, and I want to make sure that I take down as much as I can from this point in her life. She just turned 2.5 and she shows us each day what a wonderful, smart little girl she is. She also is extremely silly! Hmmm, I wonder where she got that trait? 

Some things about Miss Mckinley:

- She is a GREAT talker. I have been able to have full on conversations with her for at least 6 months. She understands things that I never would think she could grasp. The types of things that come out of her mouth both shock and make me crack up every day!

- She has an amazing memory--she will remind us of things (weird, small details, days or weeks after they happen) that you would never even think she noticed.

- She loves to play (especially with her cousins!). She runs hard and has a special fondness for the game of chase! :) 

- She knows all her basic shapes and is learning some harder ones too. 

- She can sing her ABC's and does so about 20 times a day! She can identify most of her letters, knows all colors, and can count to 13. 

- She has taken a new love to singing..some favorites include the ABC's, Twinkle Twinkle, and The Camping Bag song (her own creation!). 

- She is really good at the game of concentration! She plays it constantly too. 

- Any type of art project is high on her list of to-dos. She also loves puzzles, drawing, her kindle, of course books, and anything that Kyan might be playing with. :)

- Her and Kyan have a special relationship. He loves her no matter what she does, she loves him half the time. The other half she is pushing him over to ensure he stays away from her (or just to push him over!). She does do a lot of sweet things for Kyan as well. She is especially sweet if he is upset. 

- She has become a very picky eater. She would live on pretzels with mustard for dipping if we let her. 

- Her favorite saying when she doesn't want to do something is "how 'bout not". 

- I thought we had left the constant stream of tantrums behind us, but they have returned with a vengeance. The most tantrum inducing behaviors include: any request by mom/dad/any one really, brushing our teeth, going to the bathroom before bed, Kyan in general, meal time, play time, nap time....really all aspects of our life. :)

- She talks often about how she is going to go to "pretty school" AKA preschool. She is excited now, but we will see how she acts when this fall comes and she actually has to go. 

- She requests almost daily to go to "daddy's downtown". 

- Daddy is her world! He can do no wrong, unless he is asking her to do something she of course does not want to do. 

- Going on walks with Max is one of her favorite things to do. 

- She insists on sitting on your lap at the end of dinner. 

- Looking through pictures (especially those of baby Kinley) is a love of hers. 

- She hates to sleep in a bed with mom and dad!! What kid doesn't want to snuggle with their mom and dad? Our kid! If we try to get her to sleep in our bed, she crys and asks to go back to Mckinley's bed. :( I can't even bribe her. 

- She wants to celebrate someone's birthday almost daily. 

- She is crazy, full of personality at home, but shy around new people. 

- This girl loves to spin in circles!

- If you ask her to smile, she opens her mouth as wide as she can! Haha! 

I am sure I could go on and on about this little love, but I will stop for now. Even with all the tantrums and shoving of her brother, I adore this kid to pieces. She brightens even the hardest of days, and I am so incredibly lucky to be her mama. :)