she may not choose a “princess dress” (today it happens to be a tiered skirt) or run to the window when she hears the sirens. (We live two blocks from the police and fire departments. They go by all the time. They don’t bother us at all. She runs to the window every time.) She can destroy a room before you even realize she’s not with you. Lately, she has chosen church as her favorite place to throw a fit. (Usually because we don’t let her lay on the wet, snow-melted, salty floor or crawl under the pew. It really makes me feel like parent of the year. Must be a test.)

She likes to cuddle in a yoga mat. She grabs my hand and says “come play, Mommy.” She made the “roads” of her castle into a slide for her princesses. (I’ll have to get a picture of that.) She sings all the time. In a very loud voice. She is becoming more aware of other people’s emotions in the sweetest way. (If only she could read Payton’s emotions better, we would have fewer arguments around here.) I am so crazy about her in this stage. She is growing up and changing and, while I wish it wasn’t happening so quickly, I am so happy to be able witness it all. She is so full of life and love. I love that about her.

I don’t remember Snow White being quite so feisty or standing in the bow window.

I have been pretty horrible about potty training. I do not think Soph is showing all of the readiness signs for potty training but why not take a stab at it, right? She loves her potty. Her princesses go to the potty. Stuffed animals go to the potty. Sophie has started mentioning if she has a wet or poopy diaper. We are making progress. Sometimes, when Sophie gets in her “yoga pose” we know she is about to take a poop. Sometimes we’ll ask her if she is, and she says, “no.” Sometimes we rush her to the potty. We don’t always make it but for the first time ever on Tuesday, she made it to the potty in time AND she was happy about it. (She has gone on the potty before, but she cried afterwards.)

Meanwhile, in the other room, Sophia’s cheerleader was doing tummy time.

Before anyone even realized she was gone

I am very grateful Matt saw her and approached her delicately enough that she didn’t get scared and fall. (Haha! Scared! Sophie doesn’t get scared.) Between the playground and gymnastics, we’ve made her fearless.

Soph is in the really fun toddler stage. I love that she talks more and will take me by the hand and ask me to play or tell me she wants lunch. With the ever expanding vocabulary has come an increase in attempting to do things by herself. She loves to play with her piggy banks. She had two. One plastic and one breakable (though she is good at breaking even the most indestructible items). Unfortunately, she threw them both on the carpeted floor (intentionally) and one didn’t make it.

She was pretty upset about it.
She has been enjoying decorating for Christmas, too. We don’t have our tree yet but we put up the advent wreath,

our nativity sets (Poor baby Jesus keeps getting LOTS of love and attention. Once, when the advent wreath was lit, she put him almost in the fire. When I told her to stop, she explained that she wanted baby to make a wish. Sweet, but dangerous.), lights and a tree in her room,

(She’s actually in there. We turn all of the lights off after she falls asleep.), and a candy dish.

(She would lift off the lid and yell “Tada!”. The lid also fell of the floor just after these pictures and is now broken. Oops.)