Letter to Lizzy- Nineteen Months

Dear Lizzy,

This past month when we got back from our trip to Idaho, anytime we'd see someone that hadn't been on the trip with us, you'd run up to them and excitedly say, "Uh-oh! Jump Jump Jump! Pizza! Toast! Steve!" It took us a little while to figure out that you were giving them your own re-cap of the trip--Mom and Dad wakeboarded, and when we fell after jumping, you liked to say uh-oh. You also enjoyed pretending to make pizza out of the pea gravel on the beach. Most mornings, you had toast for breakfast, and on the way home, we spent the night at my uncle Steve's house. It cracked your dad and I up that the details of your re-cap were exactly the same every time--it was neat to hear you tell everyone what you remember as the "highlights" of the trip (obviously, the carousel was not one of them, judging from the side-eye you gave it)!

You love to clap, dance, and sing. Another thing that we were surprised about on our trip was that when we listed to the Raffi CD, you always knew which song would come next, and have started trying to sing-along to a lot of them. Right now, your favorites are Old McDonald, Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star (which you call Up-A-Sky), and Jesus Loves Me.

You've also entered into the "Self" phase--you do NOT want help of any kind, whether it's brushing your teeth, climbing some stairs, or opening a container of applesauce so you can eat it. You've recently learned the words "don't" and "stop", and tell them to me all the time in that context.

This past month, you've also started to make decisions to do things even though you know you're not supposed to. If I walk out of the room for a minute, you'll climb up onto the computer desk. I'll say, "Lizzy, are you supposed to be up at the desk?" and you'll respond, "No, no," very somberly. Usually I'll then tell you that you need to sit yourself in a time-out, which you do, but then get hysterical about--throwing yourself backwards onto the floor, biting yourself, screaming at the top of your lungs. I can understand now how some parents give up on the discipline game--its definitely easier just to forgo the timeout. But I think that you really thrive on consistency, and that it's important for your dad and I to be consistent about which circumstances warrant a timeout and also talking with you after the timeout is over, SuperNanny style. We don't always get it right, but we're trying.

{the lakehouse had a karaoke machine, which you thought was the coolest thing EVER}

My favorite new phrase from you this month? Undoubtedly, "I want Ferb."

I love you sweet girl, and I always will,
Mom