I Did It My Way

Lately it seems that Mia expends a lot of energy finding her own ways to do things. We just never know what is coming next. At our house, Mia eats most of her meals at the kitchen island. If the three of us are together, we eat at the kitchen table. Eating in the dining room is a rare event.
The other day, I put Mia's plate at the end of the kitchen island while I fixed my own plate. When I turned around, Mia had disappeared. I caught a glimpse of her running into the dining room, plate in hand, with a self-satisfied grin on her face. She then proceeded to seat herself at the head of the table and chow down.

And I Quote...

Mia has been saying some interesting things lately. Below are a few phrases that cracked me up. I fear some of these may not translate well to the blogosphere, but I'll try to give you the context. I apologize in advance if you find yourself saying, "I guess you had to be there..."

On unwrapping her Dum Dum lollipop, given as a reward for going potty:
"Oh, me! Oh, my! I do not like coconut one bit."

On arriving at the preschool parking lot:
"Lots and lots of minivans!"

While riding in the minivan:
"Mom, I have questions. " (Note: When I ask her what her question is, she doesn't have one. She just likes to say that.)

At apparently random times:
"We really have to think about it."

After her mother raises her voice (Imagine this being said by a 2-year-old in an accusatory tone):
"Mom louded!"

Fast Friends

Mia's babysitter brought her 7-month-old daughter with her yesterday. When Mia got up from her nap, she was delighted to see "Baby L." there. Mia loves babies, but especially this one. She shared her Lambie with her and later, when she saw L. with her mother's car keys in her mouth, she took them away for safety. She can't stop talking about "Baby L." Judging from the second photo, it looks like the admiration is mutual. C. and I thought this scene was just precious.

Rock Star

Mia has been showing more interest in singing and dancing. As we ride in the minivan, she often entertains us with songs of her own invention. This makes her mother happy. It is really fun to hear her cute little voice singing about whatever is on her mind. In addition, this means she has stopped insisting that we play the Laurie Berkner "Buzz Buzz" CD every single time we get in the van. (Nothing against Laurie Berkner. It is a great CD with lots of catchy tunes, but after 9 months, I am tired of it.)
I recently dug up a "Wiggles" electric guitar that I purchased for Mia at a rummage sale 2 - 3 years ago. Up until now, she has been putting the guitar down on its back and pushing the buttons that play the songs. Jeff and I have been periodically demonstrating how to hold the guitar properly, but she wasn't interested. She just wanted to push the button that plays the song that goes, "Fruit Salad, Yummy Yummy" over and over.
Then all of a sudden one morning she picked up the guitar and started playing and dancing and jumping around the kitchen. I love this photo of her, airborne, pony tail flying.

Play Date

On Friday night, we had a picnic playdate with Mia's China playgroup. The food was no great shakes (thanks to her mother who put very little effort into it), but the company was excellent. Mia had a blast, from being chauffered in a Barbie Jeep to hanging out in the hammock with the "big girls." She even enticed me to spend some time jumping on the biggest, best trampoline I've ever seen in someone's backyard.
As for me, I enjoyed spending some time catching up with the other moms while keeping an eye out to ensure our daredevil didn't over-extend herself on the play equipment.

All Tuckered Out

Mia accompanied me shopping on a really hot day. It was a bit grueling, so I brought a lollipop as an incentive for good in-store behavior. I gave Mia her lollipop to enjoy on the ride home. I thought it was really cute that she fell asleep but didn't give up her grip on the lolly.

Art or Architecture?

As I was getting ready to take Mia to school one morning, she found some plastic hangers in the bedroom. By the time I was done brushing my teeth, Mia had arranged the hangers in a row and put pieces of cereal in the corners. She was protesting that Sam was trying to eat them. Sam skedaddled before I could snap the picture.