daughter of mine

Josie, it's been a rough couple of weeks. We've been to the doctor too many times, you've fallen too many times, we've had too many battles of the will. I know your mouth must be throbbing, as I see that your four little teeth making their way up through your gums. And it doesn't help that your head cold turned into a full blown infection. And then, when we were trying to tackle the big girl swing, you let go just as you were swinging backwards and fell straight down on your face, screaming with blood running down your chin. I ran home carrying you and Asher, so glad our neighbor was at her kitchen window and came to help us. So glad that you were ok, despite the large chunks of tongue to bit though. I do hope that the little tales on either side of your tongue will heal up, the doctor said they would at least. I hope. And last night you came down with the croup again. I think we treated it in time, going right to steam, vicks and some kind of cough soothing medicine. You seem better today but I'm not sure we're going to make it outside tonight in the cold rain. We'll see.

I am so glad that you love your brother. But I've always got to keep my eye on you, should you decide to pounce. Good thing Asher is pretty laid back, or we would have lots of crying on our hands. Words like "gentle" and "no" seem to evade you, though I'm sure you understand what they mean. In fact, I know you do because you can say them yourself, along with any other word I throw your way. We fed a bunny yesterday and you've been saying "bunny" and then "banana" just so I know that you know the difference. You surprised me when you pulled out the word "yellow" and pointed to your yellow blocks. And when you Daddy asked you if you wanted some cough medicine last night you pulled out a whole sentence "no, that's enough". We both looked at you in disbelief-- did you really just say that? I think it might have been a fluke. And though I'm sooo glad that we have a new place that is just right for us, I'm a little worried about the stairs here. You like to test me, constantly. So when I say "back down" you turn forward and attempt to take a step. These steps aren't soft and they are very steep so you really must learn to do what I tell you... I'm getting rather tired of hurdling the baby gates at the both the bottom and top of the steps. Especially holding both of you, my abs must get stronger with all this high stepping business. I think we are both glad though, that you have your own room to make a disaster. You were dancing around and spinning in it this morning early while the rest of us were trying to sleep, listening to music. When the music stopped your yelled at the CD player "off!" (You wanted it back on, I guess)

Despite all your antics though, you are getting cuter by the day. You love playing with rocks, despite my attempts to show you the playground, you'd rather sit on the path and play in the dirt.

You love to wear everyone's shoes too, and that sure is cute. You love Chinese food, sticking your tongue out and laughing. And I love that about you!