Mommy Therapy

I try really hard not to brag about my daughter (because really...  it's too easy), but sometimes...  I just can't help it.  I knew I had to do a post like this at some point, even if only because I have been so terrible keeping notes for her baby book.  At some point I needed to write down a little bit about her so people would think I've been paying attention. 

Girl is brilliant.  I am her mother and I can say that.

At 21-months-old, she has been daytime potty trained for 5 months now.  I haven't attempted night-training because she can't use the toilet on her own (or get out of her crib for that matter) and I like the 12 hours of peace she gives me on a daily basis.  People may think I'm nuts to train her that early, but it wasn't really my idea.  She came up with it on her own.  Yes, I did spend a week at home, following, prompting and cleaning up accidents, she didn't actually potty-train herself... but the idea was all hers.

She knows her letters, all of them, not in order, and can recognize her own name.  She counted to 13 on Monday when I had a corroborating witness in the car with me (she had done it before, but I was alone with her).  About half the time she says please and thank-you without being prompted and is starting to add the "may I..." to the sentences.  There is nothing cuter than a kid who says "thanks mom" when you hand her something. 

Some recent sentences:  "I'm crying about the dinosaurs"... "I'll get a pillow for you, mom"... "There's a lion looking in the window"...

I think I needed this post.  It was kind of therapeutic, since yesterday I could have used a stiff drink.  With all children, there are days when the whine in their voice grates on you, and for whatever reason they just aren't happy with anything.  It's exhausting and frustrating and sometimes I think I'd pick chinese water torture over it.

But...  when you force yourself to remember the moments of happiness, of triumph and love, it gets you through.