Moments

I have had several conversations lately about how I'm noticing changes in my little Miss A. She's finally maturing a bit and becoming such a sweet little girl.

Now, she still has her moments...and has already had some this morning...but they are fewer are farther between. And even less when not aggravated by a certain big sister. :)

She has been initiating play so much more now. She wants to dress up, play with dolls and animals, she plays with imaginary friends, she dances and sings, and says the sweetest things to me ("Mama, I like you!") when I play with her!
Right now she is walking around telling us, "My name is Ms. Jennifer." "Come to my class"! She's carrying around some animal matching cards as her 'school work', telling us we have to find the sheep/camel/cow etc.

The other day, after I'd had a VERY long and sleepless night, I put a movie on in the afternoon thinking I would catch a nap on the couch while she watched. She had other ideas. She had NO interest in watching a movie. She wanted to PLAY!
She wanted to play babies, and tried tucking them in with me on the couch. I tried to tell her I didn't feel well, and needed to rest. I was so out of it I must have been dozing in and out during her attempts to rouse me. One time I realized she was repeating over and over, "Give me your arm. Mama, give me your arm. Let me have your arm...".
She had gone to get her doctor kit and was trying to take my blood pressure!! The next thing I new I had an otoscope stuck in my eye. LOL!
I didn't have the heart to lay there any longer. I put some more water through the coffee maker and eventually came around.

Well, I've gone way off track in this post. I thought I'd get on real quick and make a note about how I found her in bed last night. Sorry!
For a couple of years now, Miss a has been a bit obsessive about taking things to bed with her. Not always an animal or doll, just anything she happens to be attached to for the day. Or week. Or month! Sometimes it's one certain thing for a month or more. After one visit to Nana and Pop's house, Miss A came home with a goody bag. Yes, like kids give away at their bday parties. This one had a few trinket toys and some candy, etc. She carried this EVERYWHERE, AND slept with it for months. She never once opened it. I did not have to worry about her getting into the candy over night, or ever, actually. She just wanted to have it with her.
Anyway, this little idiosyncrasy has evolved a bit, and sometimes she'll just grab random things on the way to bed. (the day of playing doctor on me, she slept with the big, chunky doctor kit case!)
She almost always wants to put our bedtime story book under her pillow, and usually has several stuffies in with her.
Last night was no different. She had 3 or 4 animals and the book, I think, when I left her in bed. She had to tell me several things after laying down, ask for something to eat/drink, and ask questions about our activities the next day....but she stayed in bed. So, we're getting better.

I went in to get her a couple of hours later and almost laughed out loud at what I saw! She was snuggled up with a women's softball, a Cake Mix Magic cookbook, and about six large wooden puzzles pieces!

I guess she got a little lonely and went rummaging around her room before settling in! I was shocked that she did this on her own and didn't bother me about it. Usually, if she even drops an animal off the side of her bed, she'll yell for me to come and get it.
I wanted so badly to take a picture. Wish I had. It was so cute!