Katie Update

Katie . . .

• Has learned how to get a drink for herself from the water dispenser in the fridge.  She usually takes a sip, then spits it out all over the kitchen floor.
• She also knows how to get pears for herself from the fruit bowl.  I’ve slipped on three half-eaten pears this week, all left on the living room floor.
• Pears are obtained by moving around the kitchen step-stool.  She usually does this by picking up the stool and yelling “I’ve got it!” which is now one of my most dreaded phrases to hear
• Insists on wearing a princess dress to the park (see picture, above.  Her dress is stuffed in the swing)
• Insists on carrying a little travel-sized bar of soap wherever she goes, including trips away from home
• If you forget the soap, she yells “DOAP DOAP DOAP” until you get it for her
• Has discovered how to get into the sugar bowl in the pantry, which she usually goes after with double-fisted sugar-munching action.  Last time she had a big wooden serving spoon to get more of it.
• She’s so euphoric with sugar that any attempts to discipline her (scolding, time-outs) are pointless, since she’s just laughing madly and chuckling “SUGAH!  SUGAH! SUGAH!”  until I give up.  (Yes, I should move the sugar to a higher shelf, but that would require cleaning out my Tetris-like pantry entirely)
• Frequent viewings of Sesame Street led to a habit of laughing like Ernie whenever she thinks she’s done something clever
• Lately there’s a high interest in using the toilet.  Except she often confuses her consonants, and so calls the “potty” a “cubby.”  And whenever someone else uses the bathroom, she gets possessive.  “MY CUBBY!  MY CUBBY!”
• Insists on helping fold clothes (usually unfolding whatever I’ve already done)
• Insists on helping wash floor (usually by spitting water all over the floor first)
• Insists on helping to re-organize china cabinet (today she dropped a glass goblet into a crystal pitcher.  The goblet broke, but the pitcher’s fine)
• Went totally ballistic when she saw the merry-go-round during our most recent trip to the zoo.  She got to ride it (see picture, below) but the resulting tantrum when it was time to get off caused my other three children to say, “Mom, I like the zoo, but I think Katie needs to go home.”
• Asks to snuggle on my lap with a sippy cup while watching My Little Pony.  She does this by grabbing my legs, batting her eyelashes, and asking “A ba-ba?  A pony?  A lap?”
• is pretty much irresistible.  Thank goodness she takes 3-hour naps.