Soooo Big

We have celebrated Christmas six different ways in the last week. However, this is a quick update about all of the developmental leaps going on in this household amidst all of the celebration.

Ella is working on using the potty. She’s starting to come to us before she goes, but we continue to have accidents here and there. But, she’s getting there! At least now, she doesn’t like the feel of wet pants, whereas this summer, she didn’t mind it at all. Someday, we’ll be able to venture out of the house without a Pull-Up, which Ella probably doesn’t need, it’s more for my psyche. Ella does like wearing her “big girl ah-wonder” (underwear). And I’m often reminded that “we don’t pee on couch”. That’s a past lesson that has apparently stuck with her. Perhaps it was the flip-out I had over someone toddler-sized standing on the couch and peeing on it…

Lillian is just a flurry of development. She finally has a top tooth with the other starting to peek through. She’s getting her fourth bottom tooth. For months she’s had three teeth on the bottom. It has looked funny. Right around Christmas, she started standing on her own. While we were opening gifts at our house, she just stood up from a squat. She doesn’t do it often, but she can do it! On Thanksgiving, she conquered a couple of stairs at Nana and Papa’s house. She’s dabbled with stairs a little, only making it up one or two. Well, yesterday, I thought she was being pretty quiet…when I investigated, I couldn’t find her throughout the house. Panic! Where did I find her? Half-way up our staircase, following the cat who was a couple stairs above her. I nearly had a heart attack! I knew if she saw me, she’d turn to show me her great accomplishment and possibly lose her footing. I had to be quick and stealth. I was able to snatch her up before she noticed me and then I got out the long gate to block access to the entire entryway/stairway. And, as if she hadn’t proven her freedom enough, she has decided that she doesn’t want me to hold her while she has her bottles. At least half of the time, she would rather I just give her the bottle and put her on the floor. She moves around with it, or lays on the floor and sucks it down. Part of me is happy for this extra freedom for myself, but I also love snuggling with her a few times a day, even if she does pull my hair, poke my eyes and kick me while she eats. She will give me a head full of grey hair. What a crazy girl!