Had some fun...now off to the lake!

Maliana ~

Just a quick note before we head out for our big lake weekend! While it’s been a short week so far, you’ve been just as entertaining and interesting as ever. On Monday as we drove to speech, and went up and down some big hills in the car, you yelled, “Mom! That hill freaks me out!” Huh? How do you know that expression? While at speech, I was breathless, my heart was pounding, and I was on the edge of my seat. Was I watching an action movie in the lobby? Nope. Just sitting in the room with you and Miss Ashley, watching you make progress in your speech. Guess that’s one cool part about being a mom…getting ecstatically excited as your kids do something new or make progress on something they’ve been working towards for a while.

Tuesday was your water day at school. Daddy picked you up just as you were heading outside, so he decided to let you stay and watched as you splashed and ran around like a maniac in the sprinkler with your friends. Good times.

And if the water day at school wasn’t fun enough…Audrey met us at home and you, Audrey, and me headed out to the zoo. You are getting so much more into the zoo, on a completely new level, each time we go. You have favorite animals, you want to linger a little longer at some more than others, you are more interactive with the ones you can interact with, and you have an opinion on just about everything. Just like speech, it’s neat to see you progress in this area too.

not all of the wildlife was in cages...I can't believe how close this chipmunk let you get!

looking at the red panda

what is it with you and checking statues for boogers?

yeehaw!!

letting the goat sniff your hand and get to know you

Audrey and I also have a new favorite word that you say now too. We were munching on Combos on the way to the zoo and for you; it comes out as “Commo” except that last “o” is drawn out just long enough to be extra cute. We’d giggle every time you’d ask for another "Commo-o-o".

Once home from the zoo, you insisted on Audrey giving you a bath. You guys played together and then she worked with you on your letters and even some sight words…and by God if you didn’t start recognizing different people’s names as she wrote them on the edge of the tub in washable bath crayon. I was amazed…and Audrey should be a teacher. You already know how to spell your name and can recite it perfectly, but this was new to me and ever so neat.

Finally, on Wednesday, Daddy had me giggling at his description of you. It was hat and sunglasses day at school, so not only did Daddy let you wear these to school, but also let you pick out your own outfit. It was a mismatched doozy too…and he said that your hair reminded him of Edward Scissorhands meets Cousin It…but you had the biggest swagger as you strolled into school in the morning. I swear ~ your personality is bigger than Texas! Don't ever let that go.

So, like I said…we’re heading to the lake on Friday, tomorrow actually. We get to see our South Bend and Chicago families. It should be a lot of fun and you are super excited (we all are) for some fun on the beach. Signing off for now…

Love,
Mama