20 Months Old... Reflections & Shadows

In only four months, we will have a 2 year old... wow!  It seems like Marlee learns so much everyday... I probably say that a lot, but it's so true!  It's really cool to see how her world gets bigger and bigger all the time.  She says "windy" when the wind blows outside, notices airplanes waaay up in the sky saying "airplane!", picks flowers and fallen fruit from our fruit trees off the ground, wants to dance, sing, swing, and play all the time!  She now plays a lot more with real kitchen stuff in the kitchen when I'm cooking and makes up food that she's cooking... so cute!  She can officially label all letters and numbers (1-10).  Her favorite songs to sing are the "ABCs" song and "Twinkle, twinkle", but she's really liking "Wheels on the bus", "Rock a bye baby", and "Where is Thumbkin" too.  :)

Marlee has really started noticing shadows and light reflecting.  On walks we wave and dance around to see our shadows on the ground, and I make light reflect on the ceiling, etc and she thinks it's hysterical!  She's digging playing in her princess tent that Gama (who she is consistently calling "Mammy", ha!) got her.  She's great with shape sorters, stacking objects, simple puzzles, throwing balls, and she's starting to group like objects together.  She also tries to put her on clothes on and off... among many other things that she wants to "do it myself"!  It's been really hard not to laugh lately when she says "No, ma'am" to me, because she's not responding nicely to a yes or no question, she's saying it to imitate me when she does something she's not supposed to or when I'm doing something she doesn't want me to.  But it's cute... for now... until she's older... and then it won't be so cute. ;)

I'm looking for work for the summer and possibly longer, but I can't see myself putting her in daycare/preschool and taking something completely full time.  I need a transition, and I am in the process of trying to create a part time position at a local weekday school, which also happens to have a M, W, F student slot open as well.  I hope to know if this position will work out or not in the next week or so.  Dave is starting his last year semester of school in a week and will be done by September.  Our plan is to put our house on the market after then, but who knows how long we will be around.  We'll make it work til then.  Dave's rekindled & formed some new music connections lately too, so he's definitely going to explore that as well.  This year will continue to bring lots of changes.  Oh, and I have lost 24 lbs since last November!  I continue to eat healthier and exercise at least 3 days a week.  Hope to lose at least 2 more, but would love 7 more to come off before the end of May.  Feeling good!