Walking, Climbing and Becoming a Mini-Addy

Oh Parker, Parker, Parker. What will we do with you! You are our daredevil, and you're gonna kill yourself if you're not careful, or I don't keep a close eye on you. I've taken to calling you Addy, as she's the only other girl I know who likes to climb quite so much. Daddy's thrilled, he's deemed you the athlete, while I'm wondering how to keep you alive long enough to excel at any sport. Since you started walking a few weeks ago (slipping that in here since I forgot to mention it previously) you also think that you can climb Kilimanjaro. I find you standing in your chair, in Payton's chair, trying to climb/stand on your little play table, and yesterday you got mad becuase you couldn't figure out how to climb up onto the kitchen chair. I'm guessing we're only weeks from that. The funniest part is that even when you get up into your chair and fall, you just do it again. Never tears, never fears, just do it again and again. You crack me up dragging heavy toys around the house, as if you really need to contribute to the clutter around here. Today you were picking up a ball that Payton can hardly carry around because it's so heavy, and yesterday it was the BIG ball that I still can't figure out how someone with such a small wingspan could even grasp. You do it all, just grinning at me from ear to ear.

Here are two videos, blue shirt is 2 weeks previous to the one with the chair. PROGRESS!

Parker's Tantrum!

Parker has recently really learned how to express herself, and not in a good way. I probably shouldn't, but I find it really funny. I'm also impressed with her physical ability to throw herself up into the air using her feet. This particular fit is, I think, due to the fact that she doesn't want to drink from the sippy cup I've provided for her, she wants a bottle. We're trying to make the switch right now. Most of the time she's fine and thinks it's fun to such through the straw, but this moment she's frustrated because she has to suck more than one suck to get milk into her mouth and I think she thinks that the cup is empty.

Bum

Today Payton's been scratching at her bum all day, so being the attentive mother that I am I thought that I should take a peak at it while I was helping her wipe. As I somewhat expected, her bottom was a little pink, I'm thinking that maybe she's missed a wipe or two recently. I said somewhat rhetorically, "Your bums a little red?" She quickly and happily responds, "It's because you've been spanking me so much." She then grins and goes on her merry way to her nap. I was about to explode laughing. She wasn't mean, or scared or anything. She was just matter of fact, like, duh, of course it is! Honestly, the red on her bottom has nothing to do with spanking, and everything to do with 3 year old hygiene.
As I mentioned before, Payton is currently experiencing the terrible three's, after being a delightful baby and a pretty good toddler. I'm usually somewhat of a softy mom, I try to talk and explain with loads of time outs, but I haven't been feeling like any progress is being made. So, two days ago, I decided to try out a no tolerance approach. I am not coddling any more. I tell her no, or stop and offer the consequence of a spank, and a trip to her room. If she continues, I follow through with whichever was offered as consequence. I know that no one believes in spanking anymore. I'm sure that if all my mom friends read this I'd be dis-momed, but I am trying to raise a bull headed child here and it seemed to work out for my own parents so I'm giving it a shot. I still love my parents, and they still love me. Payton, at this point, seems to still love me and still loves to hug, kiss and snuggle me. She's by no means afraid of me, except when I'm mad about something she's done or is doing. Ya know what, that's a good time to be afraid.

Babies and Bellies

Here's another funny one from today. Payton is constantly saying things these days that kind of make you stop and go humm.

Payton and I were playing in her room, listening to the radio station blasting Brittney Spear which has recently replaced the Toddler Favorites CD that used to play in her room so often. That alone frightens me, but isn't the story. No this story is about babies. This story starts with Payton telling me to take Parker's jammies out of her room. What? I ask. She points to a set of blue jammies that I recently tossed into the "TO LESLIE'S HOUSE" pile that lives in the top of the closet. I explained that they needed to go to Leslie's. Of course she assumed that meant that they were for Charly. I thought it would be a good time to remind her that Leslie has a baby in her belly, just like I had Parker in my belly before she was born. She sat for a few seconds thinking and told me that I should put Parker back in my belly. I'm now realizing that she REALLY doesn't get this concept. Guess I'll let that one go for a while.

BIG, BIG, BIG

I have to type this one real quick, cause it's too funny to let go.

Payton and Jason are snuggling on the sofa right now while I'm online. I hear Payton say to Jason, "I like your boobies, cause they're big". She goes on to tell him that she has boobies too. Jason, trying not to laugh, tells her that someday she'll have bigger boobies. She has to continue the conversation with, "I'll have BIG BIG BIG BIG (4x) boobies!"

Someday she's gonna kill me for this one!