Welllllll

My Rory girl is an amazing little person. Potty training has started, I can hardly believe it. We're letting her lead. We bought a little person toilet and a book about using it (for her, not us). We read the story a few times. Examined the mini toilet. And we ask her every day if she wants to sit on it. Sometimes its yes, sometimes its no. We've made progress--now she will sit on it without a diaper on.

Her vocabulary expands noticeably every day. For instance, today she said "I sit on potty." Whole sentences, with this kid.  She also pulled out "MINE!" yesterday, which I was less impressed with. She told her first joke last week. She put a plate on her head and said "hat!" and cracked herself up. She also counts to somewhere around 8 or 10 (although she sometimes skips 3).

And for all the compliments on her beauty and big brown eyes (I'm not bragging, that happens) she gets more for her behavior (that was bragging, but also happens).  Compliments on her manners, how well she listens and follows directions. I'd love to claim some of it, but I have a super easy kid, and it's just kind of been common sense to us.

We try to treat her with respect:  say please and thank you to her, ask for things without just grabbing them from her (sometimes it's a struggle for her, but she will usually give it over. If you grab it she gets very upset).  We are huge fans of positive reinforcement. She's never been called "naughty" or "bad". Instead we compliment her when she is a good listener, when she helps clean up, etc. We try to focus on when something is difficult or a challenge for her and NOT help until it's clear that it's never going to happen. We ask her to try again, compliment her for working hard at it. She has learned "Help" but we say "Do you want me to help you?" So when she wants help she says "Help you?"

Rory and I went to an early fondue dinner at the Melting Pot with some friends last week--a girls' night. We both got dressed up. Rory ate my entire salad, loved the salmon and potatoes, and especially the chocolate. She did a fantastic job sitting through a very long four course meal. When we picked the car up from the valet (heels + two year old + diaper bag + purse does NOT = finding a spot and hauling everything) she plopped down on the steps and sat waiting patiently.

When we were driving home I said, "Rory, Mama is SO proud of you! You did such a good job tonight! You had great manners and you were a very good girl." She got a HUGE smile on her face and kind of giggled and said "good girl!"

She's no stranger to temper tantrums and drama, but she is really an excellent baby.

As for the grown ups, we are doing well. Ryan is getting over a week long cold, and I'm boxing three days a week and LOVING it. We're excited for the holidays, lots of traveling and fun stuff between now and Ryan's birthday. What are your holiday plans?