Month: August 2009

IMG_1905, originally uploaded by griffey.

Eliza has had lots of “big girl” moments lately…

* She has started to use the potty, although not consistently, and certainly not if she’s too busy playing. She has gone successfully about 8 times. And she usually tells us when she needs to go.

* Is now drinking well out of cups with lids/straws (rather than spill-proof sippy cups) and is starting to work on regular cups.

* Knows what it means to “ask like a big girl” (without whining, saying please). Often needs to be prompted, but at least she knows the difference.

* Can jump!!!! Her feet finally came off the ground the other day, and now she’s doing it consistently.

* Can climb up on her step stool to wash her hands, and climb down when finished. Will do this when asked.

* Can draw a circle! It happened out of nowhere, but she has repeated it several times. Pretty impressive!!!

* Knows emotion words like mad, sad, happy, excited, and scared. Starting to tell us how she is feeling and notice how others are feeling, too.

* Occupies herself for much longer periods of time. Her favorite way to do this is to pull all the books off her shelf and look at them. Asks us to put her mattress on the floor so she can sit and “read” by herself. When Daddy asked if she wanted him to read to her this morning, she said, “I do it myself.”

Eliza & Noah

Originally uploaded by griffey

Eliza with her friend Noah at the Children’s Discovery Museum in Chattanooga, TN. She’s not quite to the “playing with” stage, more “playing around”, but she loves the company, so I call it a success.

IMG_8177.JPG, originally uploaded by griffey.

Monday, Eliza had her eyes checked at Vanderbilt. She does have a partially blocked tear duct, but it’s not bad enough to warrant surgery. Hurray!

Afterwards, we had lunch at the Rainforest Cafe, merely for toddler entertainment value and certainly not for the food! Eliza was in heaven and still talks about the rainforest. The moving gorillas and elephants were okay, but her favorite things were all the fish tanks and the nighttime sky, which inspired her to sing several rounds of “Twinkle, Twinkle.”

Tuesday she started at her new daycare, and it was a freakishly easy transition. I feared the worst, but she was immediately comfortable with her new teachers and her new room. This place gives lots of daily feedback, and so far she has been praised for her “focus,” ability to follow directions, her patience (!?!), and how she is willing and excited to participate in any activity. They have also remarked on her singing and the astounding number of books she wants them to read daily. They have already read every single book they own, and it’s only day 4.

Eliza was fine at her other daycare, but at the new place, I think she will flourish.