I love you in...Pittsburgh!

A few months have passed, so there is much to add abotu Cassidy as she grows and changes. She can do more things like put on her own socks, get in and out of the bath tub, have a full fledged telephone conversation with someone and then hang up on them, walk down stairs confidently on her own and do a somersault. She is taking gymnastics classes and classes at the zoo about animals. She has many friends and loves to sing and dance. By far the most interesting thing about her is the funny stuff she says. I bring to you...conversations with Cass.

Conversations with Cass:

I Love You in Pittsburgh
CASS: "Mommy I love you very much."
ME: "I love you more."
CASS: "I love you the most!"
ME: "I love you infinity!"
CASS: "I love you in....in....Pittsburgh!"

(I laughed so hard I cried.)

Whose Wife is it?
CASS: " where do you work?"
ME: "I work at a place called Light of Life."
CASS(who pronounces Ls like Ws): "My wife or your wife?"


Cookie Monster
CASS: "I don't feel good."
ME: "You don't? What doesn't feel good?"
CASS: "My tummy."
ME: "Awww, is there anything I can do for you?"
CASS: "Yes. Make me feel better."
ME: "Ok, well, do you want something to eat?"
CASS: "Yes. I need a cookie. A cookie will make me feel better."


Tiny Dancer
CASS: "Mommy, sing with me."
ME: "I don't really feel like it right now. You sing."
CASS: "No. I'm not a very good singer....but I AM a very good dancer!"

Two already??

How is this possible? Little Miss the Lemonette is two already?!

Somehow she morphed from a wiggly baby into an independent being. She hardly needs us at all, it seems! (Unless she needs help opening the lid of a Play-Doh container.) She speaks in full, varied sentences saying charming things like "No, Mommy. Don't talk to me like that. Be nice. Pweese."

She also sings constantly, often making up songs from whatever is going on around her. She recently entertained us while we were eating dinner with a slightly wonky version of "BaBa Black Sheep" at full lung capacity. She ended it with an accidental slip and unintentional but festive split at the end.

We spent her birthday at home with her 30 closest friends and a lot of Monkey Luau themed decorations. We also went to the beach where she became incredibly brave in regard to playing in the surf. But she got knocked down enough times that she began to demonstrate a useful understanding of the power of the ocean.

Cassidy is full of life, opinions, ideas, imagination and is in possession of an iron-strong will. While I can see she is not and will not be the easiest child to parent, she is an incredible source of laughter and joy. Her smile lights up entire zip codes and her magical way of being has chased away many a rain cloud. It's an honor to be a temporary steward of this precious life that absolutely going somewhere very, very interesting.

Cass in 2011

Well, it's hard to keep up with Cassidy's words. She basically can say any word now and she is stringing together simple sentences with 2-3 words. The other day i heard the daycare teacher say to another teacher that she talks more than any of the kids in the 2 year old group - she's still got a few months to go before she turns 2. Smartypants.

She continues to love being read to. She would sit on a lap and have 10 books read to her in a row any day. After about 7 or 8 I usually quit, despite her loud protests.

She loves to take stuffed animals and human people and put them to bed. She will make us lay down and she gets a blanket and puts it over us and pat us firmly saying "Night-night." I love her capacity to pretend, which she has had for some time now.

She eats very well with a spoon and likes to have a bib on to eat. She will firmly say "bib" until she gets one. Her eating habits vary. She will never turn down shredded cheddar cheese, sliced grapes or cookies. She regularly asks for mango. She will usually eat green peas, black beans and tofu with a little soy sauce. She likes chicken soup, too.

We have mostly kept her away from tv, but we allow her to watch Steelers games if we are home for one and we let her watch while we exercise with the Wii fitness programs. She often says "Watch...watch" and points to the tv, meaning "I want to watch the tv while you exercise." I guess it's better than Barney.

She does well at daycare and rarely cries when we leave her. But she is always eager to go home when we pick her up. She gives hugs and kisses and says "lub you" for "I love you." It is basically the sweetest thing ever.

More words

New words she's started saying

Cool
Yep
blue
green
puzzle
family
Lion
Zebra (bebra)
hockey
tunnel
choo-choo
phone
Evelyn
Bob


She has started making up songs with words she knows. Her favorite is roughly in the tune of baba black sheep and it goes something like "Mama, dada, pappy, hi....abby, puppy, happy, bye."

She also has started having LONG nonsense conversations - like stringing together a whole bunch of nonsense words in the cadence of a conversation, with pauses. Almost like she's pretending to talk on the phone. It is very, very funny.

She has gotten further with Row, Row, Row Your Boat by singing "Row, row, row, boat.....stream...merry." Definite progress.