Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Watching your kids develop is always an adventure. With every milestone, bump & bruise, accomplishment and new word you watch a peice of clay turning into a work of art. As Nia heads down her last 2 months before turning two these things become everyday occurrences.

Here are a few things we have learned about Nia recently:

Nia is fearless and a daredevil. I've always been a "girls" dad. Sure having a boy would be fun but ever since Gillian I can't help but love having strong little girls around. Neither of my two girls are frail, dainty little baby-dolls. Gillian and Nia are both strong and solid and can take anything a little boy can. Nia will wrestle you, fall down, get up and laugh it off. We took her to the petting zoo on Sunday and she went right up to all the animals and started petting them. No fear. She talked to them, told them stories and even tried to ride a pig. She loves to be thrown up and swung around, usually resulting in a huge "Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!". She will climb up and on anything and wants to jump and do somersaults all day long. She walks up and down stairs by herself and she can, but it makes us anxious so we follow right next to or in front of her. We have to watch because she is very outgoing and has no stranger anxiety, and has in fact chased people down that refused to say "Hi "back...

She has a thing for the potty. About a month ago she started becoming fascinated with the potty. She would open the door when one of us were going, and just seemingly study what was going down. She would want to hand us the toilet paper and flush afterwords. Then instructed us to "Wash hands!". Whenever she goes in her diaper now, she immediately tells us and asks to be changed especially when she goes kaka. Lately she seems to be preempting the kaka and letting us know she's gonna go and runs to the bathroom, and she usually will at this point have taken her diaper off herself. So we have begun the journey of potty training at Nia's request...

Abba. Nia loves Abba. Over and over and over... The hands and feet don't stop and she sings along. Again? Again? She loves "Mamma Mia" and asks for it by name now.

Nia is compassionate and empathetic. Coming from two Pisces this isn't surprising but watching her genuinely become this caring little person is pretty awesome. Whenever one of us hurts ourselves, or coughs or looks sad she comes over and says "Okay?" with a little head tilt and back rub. Even if she's int he other room, you can still hear the "Okay Mommy?". She's very aware of what people are feeling around her. And when her little friends or anyone is upset or crying, she comforts them. The other day when she heard a siren go by she yelled out "Okay?".

Nia is also very aware of how cute she can be. When she is good she is very very good but when she's bad she knows how to work it. When she gets put in time out, she will resist but like a switch she tilts her head and goes "Hi Daddy!" and gives her little wave. Or she'll yell "Mommy kaka!" and lately she's learned to say "Sorry" verbally and in sign language so she's using that now. Anything to get out of time out. She still likes to hit when she gets angry or is told she can't do something so we have to watch out.

Nia likes to dress herself. She loves to put her own clothes on, and will usually pick them out herself. She's trying to figure out zippers and tying shoes. She is also good at undressing herself.