Independence is the word of the month for Kayleigh. Perhaps she's feeling the patriotic spirit, perhaps its her age (okay, so definitely her age), but whatever the reason, she does NOT want help. She runs all over the house attempting to do adult-like chores, and she won't accept assistance for any of it. She'd rather complete the chore, to the best of her ability VERY slowly, than let Mommy or Daddy get a hand in edge wise. I usually give her the chance to learn, but sometimes, if it's dangerous or we're in a hurry (hahaha not usually with an 8 week old), I push her. This almost always results in heartbreaking tears - her realizing she just "isn't big enough." :( It's sad for Mommy, and very sad for Kayleigh - already she doesn't like failure. Here are some snapshots of my favorite "independent" moments this past week. Reading: She will grab a book (sometimes her books, sometimes the books Daddy has sitting around), climb into the chair, open it up and start babbling "Apoiiboneoscionew. a;ipqenvoiasdafe. All done." Slam the book and say "More book ..." She will repeat this until she's had enough of reading. Clearly, she's developing the concept that books carry a message! Woo hoo!!! I should add that it's most precious when she gets one of her own books because she'll open it and acknowledge the pictures she knows on the page (or the words she's memorized from reading it so often) in the SAME TONE that Mommy reads them. She's listening to storytime, even if she looks like she isn't :)
Drinking: Kayleigh loves coffee ... no really, decaf, skinny, no whip, non-fun flavored coffee ... she loves it! She also loves finding the Starbucks that we threw away (or left around the house) and walking around the house with it. She'll be putting a puzzle together, holding a Starbucks cup in the other hand, or she'll be playing with her computer with one hand and her sipping her Starbucks with the other. It's a monkey see-monkey do scenario. Since we had Starbucks to help us combat the late nights of baby-ness, she's grown up with it ... She puts the cup in her hand tilts her head back, drains some if it and says, "Ahhhh." Gotta love how she's ready to be a college student already :)
Cookin': I'm not claiming that what I do in the kitchen to prepare supper is actual cooking. BUT, Kayleigh calls it that. So, each night when it's time to eat, I say, "Would you like to help Mommy cook?" "Yes, help me...." So, she waddles into the kitchen, gets put up on the counter by the espresso machine and starts "cookin." This usually involves pounding the pots and pans with a very serious look on the face, she "pours" imaginary fluids back and forth between the cups, stirs with the tamping spoon, and tastes tests it before calling me over. "Momma? Momma? Mommy? Momma? See???? Cookin? Taste???" So I taste it, pretend its the best dessert I've ever had and say, "Let Daddy try." She waddles over to her father, who always tells her (thanks so much) to go back to Mommy and make some more. She always does .... Here's her, giving her "cookin" a taste test.
Ohh .. Kayleigh. How I love your independence! Keep keepin' me on my toes!