PHONE CALLS (ALMOST 3 1/2 YRS OLD)

S enjoys making phone calls on momma's cell phone. It started innocently enough. Calling daddy was something to do to occupy her in the back seat. Then, S asked how to call Mimi and Poppy. And, then how to call Aunt Phu, and now, she wants to know how to call Talia. Well, at least she talks more now. She use to just call and breathe heavily to the other person on the line.

I MISS TALIA (ALMOST 3 1/2 YRS OLD)

Sarah's Best Friend Forever (BFF) is Talia. Whenever Talia is around, she ignores everyone else around her and just plays with Talia. Unfortunately, when they part, Talia is overcome by emotions and cries and calls out, "I miss Sarah." The crying has the opposite effect on S. It scares her...

After playing putt-putt with Talia last week and parting from Talia, momma asked S if she knew why Talia cried. She said, "no." Momma responded, "she cries because she misses you. Do you ever miss her?" S paused and responded with, "I miss Talia, too." S seem to settle down and momma thinks this will help S deal better with Talia's tears next time.

BRIBING (ALMOST 3 1/2 MONTHS)

Momma never thought she would use bribing to get S to do things, but it's a very effective method. S gets a candy ball from on tiny candy ball dispenser every time she blows her nose. Or, if she chooses, she can have a penny. Momma bribed her two nickles and a lollipop for rinsing out her nose with saline solution. S upped it to two dimes and a lollipop.

Bribing has also extended to taking her medicine. With Mimi a couple weeks ago, it was a chocolate chip cookie for each hand after the medicine was taken. Plus, the medicine was mixed in a thick chocolate syrup.Momma gives S a chocolate chip in each hand and mixes the medicine with milk.

BTW, the second most effective method is threats.

LITTLE THINGS (ALMOST 3 1/2 YRS)

There's so many little things now that S can do on her own.

-- cut with scissors and cut things out, following a line
-- tie knots (but can't untie knots)
-- wear her shoes by herself, especially left on left and right on right
-- take off her shirts
-- put on her seat belt (including the big buckle on the bottem)
-- taking off her seat belt
-- read simple three letter words
-- spell her name, daddy, and mama
-- draw circles and lines
-- count to thirty without help
-- recite our home address

DEFIANCE AND TESTING (ALMOST 3 1/2 YRS)

S often says "no" now to see how either momma or daddy will respond. In the kitchen this week, she took a handful of beans and threw them all over the kitchen. Momma asked her to clean it up and she looked momma right in the eyes and said, "no" and waited for momma to respond.

Momma just said, "okay, no video for you until this is cleaned up." Momma took out the vacuum and S pushed it around the kitchen and got 70% of them and momma finished up the rest while S watched her video.

Unfortunately, this is not a one time incident. It also happened with glass of milk and a handful of beads this week, too. Wonder who's going to wear out first? S or Momma? (Hopefully for momma, she knows this is normal testing behaviour.)

ART (ALMOST 3 1/2 YRS)

S drawings are more purposeful. She likes drawing outside, i.e. nature. She draws trees (lone lines with scraggly lollipops on top), grass and sky (represented by a line either on the top or bottom of the page) and the sun, a fiery circle with lines eminiating from it in all directions. Sometimes, she will add in clouds which all look like blobs randomly placed on the page.

Momma loves her artwork! And enjoys hanging them on the walls!