Playing, playing and more playing!!!

Being a stay at home mom is better than I ever thought it would be; sure it has its moments when I think I might go crazy but I do not regret my decision at all!!  Having the ability to take Whitney to parks, introduce her to new activities as well as people, and not be on a time crunch is amazing.  Most every morning we venture out and do something fun and spend our afternoons at home playing outside since its been so nice recently!!!

I think I have said this at every stage thus far but this is my favorite:)  She is such a little talker, saying 5 and 6 words together, and even understands what is going on so well that I find myself carrying on adult like conversations with her.  Recently she learned the difference between yesterday and today and LOVES using it.  She will say, "I have milk YESTERDAY TOO."  Or "I play at park TODAY."

She also has quite the imagination.  Her new thing is to get her stroller and pack it up with everything.  She will tell me what she is packing and will say, "bottle just in case we need it." (which is what I say to her all the time about things I bring in the car for her.)  Once her stroller is packed up she will put her babies, sometimes as many as she can fit, and run into the kitchen where I can't see her.  She will make noises like she is at the park, "wheee" or at the store "beep" buying pouches to eat.  When she is ready to come back she won't just make an entrance....oh no, she says "ready" and you are expected to say, "PLEASE COME BACK..." then and only then will she come back.  

Saying I love you and thank you to everyone and everything is fun for her too.  But rather than saying I love you she says, "I loves you SO much" or "Thank you SO much."  Cracks me up and melts my heart and the same time.

Here she is at the park swinging on a big girl swing for the very first time.  She loved it and even started pumping her legs a bit towards the end.

Her new favorite though is playing on the playsets at the park.  She was a little too small for them this spring, that is why we were always on the swings, but now that she can run, climb and slide she is never in one place for long.  She loves to play peek a boo with me too:)

The new way to watch a Bengals game in our house.  Over are the days when Ryan and sit for the ENTIRE day Sunday watching game after game.  Whitney just loves his attention and he found a way to do both haha:)

The cardboard box is still alive and kicking.  It brings girls from a few streets over to play and we usually have a driveway full each afternoon.  Its a house, an ice cream shop, a hospital...you name it.  They have been having so much fun and Whitney sure does like the attention!

My big girl wearing 24 month clothing now.  I saved all of her 18 month warmer weather stuff and NOTHING fits.  This girl shot up like a weed and cannot fit into them anymore!!

Being a teacher you just have to break out the sensory tubs right?  Who knew a tub of beans with pumpkin erasers could take up so much time??  

Gramps finally got Whitney to let him hold her even though it was short lived I think it make his month!

We visited GG for her birthday this week and brought her a balloon, flowers and cheesecake all picked out by Whitney. 

She is such a big girl now that she sits on the couch to watch a show.  She would do it all day if I let her (well not actually sit but have the TV on so she could glance at it) but she loves to watch Jake and the Never-land Pirates as well as Mickey Mouse.  If those aren't on during my dinner preparations, she also likes Curious George:)

Here Whitney is using a stick to kill a spider (there is nothing there) because she has seen me do this time and time again in the house.  We are talking spiders with bodies larger than a quarter...those should not be in your house AT ALL...yuck.  We have been seeing about 2-3 a day so I think she decided to join in on the fun!!

And this last picture was what I was describing above, stroller packed with purse, teapot, two babies and of course her fireman hat to go to the park!!  Love love love her personality!