Coralynese

Several phrases are heard quite frequently in the Young house these days...

"Mommy, help please." Whether she is asking me to snap the lid on the marker all the way, get the last bit of yogurt in her spoon at breakfast, or join her in search of a missing toy, Coralyn has gotten pretty good at asking for help. Often she is able to figure out the "problem" on her own and doesn't end up needing my help after all, but I am always glad to offer my assistance. Other times, such as in cases of her trying to carry 5 stuffed animals, she might not need my help, to say pick up her purse (stuffed full of more toys that she just has to have). Either way, I am delighted to hear the words, "Mommy, help please," from my daughter's mouth. It means that she still needs me. I know the day will come all too soon when she thinks she doesn't. I am definitely not ready for that!

"More books, Daddy." Coralyn loves, loves, loves to read. And my teacher heart loves that! We go to the library every Monday, and by Monday night we have already read through all 20+ books that I have checked out for us to read that week. By Wednesday I think I have the books memorized :) Lately, one of Coralyn's favorite things is reading with Lawrence. As soon as he gets home from work, or right after we finish eating supper, or before bed, Coralyn climbs up by Lawrence on the couch and they read book after book after book. After each book, Coralyn exclaims, "More books, Daddy." I love to watch this interaction. My heart just bursts with joy and I can't help but smile as I see/hear Lawrence reading to Coralyn, her pointing out things on every page. I love that she enjoys spending time with her Daddy, and that one of their special times is reading books. I hope she never outgrows climbing up by her Daddy and listening to him read to her.

"Hide! Hurry! The mouse is coming!" I have no idea where she got this, but Coralyn will come racing out of her room and announce that the mouse is coming and she needs to hide. If it's not a mouse, it's a cow or snake or some other animal. Whatever the case may be, she needs to hurry and hide. So she runs to her bed or the couch or under the table and gets in the fetal position (with her cute little butt up in the air) and says, "I'm hiding. The mouse is coming. Hurry, hide Mommy." (or something very similar) I love her imagination! Sometimes I try to get her to expand her pretend story and ask her questions. Why is the mouse coming? Is he running away from the cat? Why is the snake after us? Did we make him mad? Why is the cow coming? Does he want to play with us? The other day I caught myself telling Coralyn we didn't have to be scared of the mouse and hide from it. I couldn't help but smile because if a real mouse was coming, I for one wouldn't be hiding, I would be standing on the couch screaming! :)

"Potty!" I still ask Coralyn if she has to go potty, and I still take her if I think it's been too long between visits, but for the most part, Coralyn lets me know when she needs to go potty. And most of the time (only 1 accident in the past 2 weeks...knock on wood) she lets us know with enough warning to get in the bathroom and on the potty before she does anything. I am really glad that she has gotten to this point (where I don't have to take her all the time) before the baby comes. I am hoping that by the time the baby is born, Coralyn can get her pants down by herself (and back up) and use the potty without any help from me. I don't know how to feed a baby (or change a diaper or whatever I may be doing when nature calls Coralyn) and help a 2-year-old go to the bathroom at the same time...but I am sure I will be able to figure it out if I need to :)

Some quick ones:

"It's nice out." So then she proceeds to take off her jacket.

"I want coffee, Mommy." Ahh, she knows what's good already :) At least when she has a sip of my coffee, it's decaf!

"I want a taste, please, Mommy." As soon as Coralyn sees that we are getting ready to bake something, she asks for a taste. She likes a drop of honey on her finger, a spoonful of peanut butter, a glob of dough, or whatever else we may be making. I love having her "help" me in the kitchen, but if I let her have her way we would never actually make anything because she would eat it all before we got the chance :)

"People out!" She was dead set on making sure everyone except Michaela (our pastor's daughter, whom Coralyn likes and plays with at church every weekend) left the nursery room before she would go in last Saturday for church. She didn't know one of the teenage workers and kept telling him to leave. I felt bad for the poor guy.

"I work on computer." Coralyn likes to "work" on the computer. Somehow she has opened Word before. Usually I make sure the computer is locked first so that she can't actually do anything, but she doesn't seem to mind. She will sit at the computer and "type" away, scrolling with the mouse!

"No, Carson!" Coralyn is pretty good at reminding Carson of things he is not supposed to do. I think she has the big sister mentality already :)

And my all time favorite...

"Bye, see you later. I love you." Lately, Coralyn will pretend she is going to the grocery store, library, church, work, or wherever. She will get her purse all ready (stuffed the brim with every toy imaginable) and either get in her car, walk down the hallway, or stand by the door like she is going to leave. She will then turn to me and/or Lawrence and announce, "I'm going to the (wherever). Bye, see you later. I love you." She has just recently added the last part, and that melts my heart every time. I love that she knows every time Lawrence leaves for school in the morning we tell each other "I love you." Or when I leave to go somewhere and she stays home with Lawrence, I say "I love you" as I walk out the door. I love that she has picked up on this and uses it in her imaginary play. And of course, I don't mind hearing, "I love you," from my little girl, ever!