My Little Sunshine

I really should have done a post about Greta long before now. She is growing, changing, and maturing so much each day. Although the toddler age is a challenge I am truly enjoying it more than any other age. I love that we can communicate and actually understand each other and I love watching her learn. I think I've probably been amazed at each milestone she's hit along the way and it just seems to get better each time. Watching a child grow is truly a miraculous process.

Stats:

• 35"
• 27lbs
• Size 2T in clothing but the waistband always has to be cinched up
• Size 6-6.5 shoe. She's been wearing this size since May!

Tidbits:

• Greta is very empathetic towards others, particularly when they are in pain. Any pain, real or imagined (by her) must be kissed very sweetly and she tells you how sorry she is in the sweetest voice. I've been having some tightness in my neck and have been using heat patches to try to loosen up the muscles. Whenever she sees one on my neck she kisses it over and over again telling me how sorry she is. She also expresses this empathy towards others, like her cousins Ethan & Mia, and friends at church.
• Greta loves to love. She loves to receive and to give hugs and kisses. A few weeks ago at church we picked her up and before she could leave she needed a hug and a kiss from the volunteer nursery worker (an older man). She also talks very fondly of her friends from church. Whenever we mention church she talks about how much she wants to see Joe-nah (Jonah), Pesslee (Presly), Tie-us (Tyus), & Lil-yee (Lily). There are many other children in her class but these are the ones she mentions often.
• Greta has recently started singing a lot. Her tune and words are more often wrong than right but we can generally pick out what she is singing. She generally prefers to sing with you rather than to you. Her favorite songs are: Jesus Loves Me, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Jingle Bells, & The B-I-B-L-E. Last night she also sang Baby Luga (Baby Beluga) for the first time. She also loves to sing Ring around the Rosies. Her favorite part is falling down, of course!
• Greta knows her numbers 1-10 and her ABCs. They are often a little mixed up but with some prompting she can say both from beginning to end.
• Greta has recently started being more adventurous and wanting to fall (in a safe way). She likes to pretend fall on the floor, off the couch, in her crib, etc. This morning I walked in and she was standing up saying "I fall!" and then doing a modified Nestea plunge into her bed. She also can turn a flip albeit a little crooked.
• Greta loves to help in any way she can. If I am dusting she steals the duster so she can dust. If I am vacuuming she gets our her vacuum to help. She also wants to sit on the counter in the kitchen and watch us cook.
• Greta is not a picky child and will eat just about anything. For a while we struggled to get her to eat meat but she has recently started eating almost any meat with no issues. She loves veggies, particularly broccoli and peas. Any fruit is also a favorite. Like her Daddy she also loves chocolate and coffee. A big treat for her is to get a bit of decaf coffee in her milk which she calls "Saucy Milk".

A few pictures of our little sunshine:

My little dare-devil. This is how I found her yesterday after her nap.

Enjoying Hot Cocoa after playing in the snow (and wearing Daddy's hat).

This girly girl loves to dress up.

She said she was way up high.