Twenty things

I've taken so many pictures in the last week with the intent of blogging them. At this point, I'm overwhelmed. So bear with me if things get a little crazy for a bit as I try to dump all the stuff in my head.  Lainey and I in particular, have been bonding quite a bit. She's been on my mind and has been touching my heart in new ways lately.  I just love this sweet, funny, stubborn little girl so much. 

Recently, Lainey has decided she needs to lock the door when she goes to the potty.  She also decided to put her clothes back on without any assistance this past weekend. You see, when she uses the potty all by herself, she has to take all or most of her clothes off. Kind of like Kevin on The Office needing to take his tie off in order to pee.  This time, she left her shirt on. I'm guessing she was in a big hurry to get back outside and play with her guests, Kira and Cole.  I couldn't help but take photos. A mom has to get her fun in any way she can right?  I talked her into taking a brief break from playing to put her pants on the right way and discovered that she also put her panties on backwards.  She's becoming more and more independent every day.

She loves painting her little birdhouses,

and showing off her artwork,

but if you turn your back for a second, she teaches herself the fine art of body painting.

Some of the other things I love about this girl:

1. Loves rocks, sticks, bugs, worms and princess shoes

2. Loves Tinkerbell even though she's only seen pictures of her

3. Never wears a skirt or dress but on the rare occasion she does, twirls around the room like she owns the place

4. Not a big breakfast eater

5. Loves chicken nuggets, steak, mac and cheese, spaghetti, juice boxes

6. Loves airplanes, the Space Noodle and the Magnolia water tower.

7. Says Good Morning Seattle and Goodnight Seattle every day

8. Calls ants Ant Bullies even though she IS the Ant Bully

9. Likes to carry ants around and amazingly, doesn't kill them, at first anyway

10. Does not like to walk, would rather ride in the stroller or be carried

11. Will let you feed her

12. Screams, "I gotta go potty PLEASE!"

13. Hearing her say, "ok Mommy" or "I love you," makes my heart skip a beat and warms my soul

14. The greeting she gives me when i pick her up from school makes me feel like a rock star.

15. When she forgets to say please or thank you and you ask her to try again, she says, "good manners!" Close enough to get her what she wanted. 

16. Instructs me to brush her hair, "Low and Slow," which is how one of the characters in Cars describes driving down the new road. 

17. has a sweet tooth worse than her parents but thankfully likes brushing and flossing her teeth.

18. Loves to boss her little brother around telling him, "Beau you stop that or you're going on time out!"

19. Has started calling me Mom and I hate it. I want to be Momma or Mommy forever.

20. When I ask her if we touch raccoons, she says, "No Mommy. We shoot em in the butt!"