Kate: 20 Months |
Okay, so the bad news is I’m really behind with Kate’s monthly updates.
The good news is she’s not old enough to read, so she doesn’t care.
Kate turns 23 months today* which means I’ve got three more monthly updates to finish before I’m caught up, and only 3-ish more years in which to do it before that second sentence becomes null and void.
(Oh who are we kidding? I probably really only have like 6-ish more months.**)
My most favorite moment of this month happened one afternoon while playing in the living room and listening to internet radio. Elton John’s song “Tiny Dancer” came on and Kate paused what she was doing, turned to me and stated, “I like this song.”
I was stunned.
If I had been drinking or not sitting, I surely would’ve fallen over.
I gawked at her in amazement. Saying the sentence was one thing, but what really blew my mind was that this tiny little person had just—completely unprompted—EXPRESSED HER PREFERENCE IN MUSIC! This is bigger than green beans versus applesauce, people. Music is such an abstract and individualized thing! We listen to a wide variety of it nearly every day in our house—everything from Sesame Street to Lady Gaga to Taylor Swift to Creedence Clearwater Revival to Regina Spektor to Veggie Tales—and this Little Miss, after months of careful consideration, has just informed me that she likes Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer.”
“You do?” I finally replied.
“I like this song, Mama,” she stated matter-of-factly. “I do.”
“Um…okay. I like this song, too!” I agreed.
Kate continued with her playing while I sat there staring at her. I later realized that “I like this song” will eventually turn into “I want to wear this shirt, not that shirt” and “don’t give me kisses in front of my friends” and “I’m dating the high school science teacher and there’s nothing you can do about it,” but in that moment the only thing on my mind was:
I just had a conversation with my daughter.
…and she has excellent taste in music.
Kate’s newly acquired ability to express her unique preferences didn’t end with music. Later that month while swinging at the playground she turned to the little girl in the toddler swing next to her and casually remarked, “Cute shoes.”
While I’m guessing that the mother of that little girl hadn’t been drinking, she was standing…and therefore nearly fell over.
“Did she just compliment my daughter’s shoes?!” she asked me in astonishment.
“Yep,” I replied laughing.
What else could I say? They were cute shoes.
Kate loves getting up on her stool and washing her hands at the bathroom sink. I swear she’d do this all day if we let her. Mostly she just likes putting her fingers under the running water and splashing around. I’ve been working on teaching her how to properly wash her hands—putting soap on them, rubbing them together, rinse, dry—and like every overzealous parent, I shower her with praise every time she shows the slightest signs of coordination.
A few days after I’d begun working with Kate on how to properly wash her hands she insisted on joining me in the bathroom while I went potty.*** Afterwards, she watched as I washed my hands and as I grabbed the towel to dry them off (the final step!) she enthusiastically cheered, “Great job, Mama! YOU DID IT!”
We’re still working on her hand washing technique, but she’s got that overzealous praise part nailed.
Speaking of learning, Kate can now sing her entire alphabet without help, and counts from 1-20. She also recognizes many of her letters and numbers when she sees them. You know how Target has all those 5% off signs advertising their credit card? They’re Kate’s favorite things. She points to them and shouts, “FIVE!” no less than a dozen times during any given trip to Target. She’s turned into quite the little number hunter as we stroll the aisles.
Other favorites of Kate’s:
Playing outside, either in her playhouse or at the new neighborhood playground.
Putting caps on water bottles.
Loading her arms with as many bracelets and round-shaped things as she can.
Wearing my necklaces.
Wearing my thong undies around her neck as a necklace.****
Standing on her stool at the kitchen counter to “see what Mommy’s doing.”
Anything to do with Elmo.
20 Month Videos
Kate wants to say hi to everyone:
…and now she wants to wipe your nose (and not button her clothes):
A girl can never wear too much jewelry:
*EEK! This means her 2nd birthday is only a month away! I’ve got to start party-planning!
**Because my daughter is a genius. All her stuffed animals say so.
***You can tell yourself you won’t use words like “potty” when you become a parent, and then one evening you’re at a cocktail party and you hear yourself say to a group of adults, “Excuse me. I have to go potty.” And THAT, my friends, is what being a parent of a toddler is all about.
****REMINDER TO SELF: Delete this one when she starts school.
Additional Kate: 20 Months Posts:
Kate’s First Fingerpainting
That’s What She Said
“Cute shoes”…yup that’s your kid.
Hilarious! Of course she noticed the shoes!!
Cute, sweet, smart, funny. She’s got it all going on. Good for you guys!
Having conversations with my 26 month old is the highlight of my life right now. She says the darndest/sweetest things.
jbhat
Such a darling little girl!
Thanks everyone!