Tabby at 4.5

Hard to believe our girl is half way to 5 years old. She seems like such a big girl in so many ways. She has gotten to be incredibly independent and I’m always quite proud and slightly wistful when I see how capable and self-assured she is. She does so many things all on her own … brushes her teeth, puts away her dirty laundry, makes her bed, picks up her room, writes letters, washes her plate, buckles her carseat, gathers her stuff for school, etc. etc. We have to spot-check some things of course, but it’s less and less. She is hugely social and pretty much nonplussed with new social situations. She truly enjoys being with people and likes to chat up people in public who interest her. And she’s forever asking who we’re going to see or who’s coming over.

She loves to help with almost anything we’re doing. Cracking eggs, stirring batter, chopping veggies. She helps me fold laundry and set the table. She is incredibly good with her little brother. She likes to teach him things and as much as she enjoys that because she enjoys being in charge, she truly enjoys helping him become a big kid. They play a game where she sings some words and he fills them in and she is super proud as he learns new bits of her favorite songs and new words for this and that.

Of course it isn’t all sunshine and roses. She has been testing us in some frustrating ways, relentlessly pushing for what she wants (now now now!) until I’m liable to snap that she won’t get it EVER if she doesn’t stop hounding me. She loves to push the limits of established rules for her own benefit but is quick to point out when rules aren’t followed – if it’s to her own advantage, that is. There are also moments of fake crying and SCREAMING that earn her time outs. We also had a lying incident a few weeks back that earned her a very early bedtime. The naps are fading away. More often than not she resists so thoroughly that I just give up. But she’s still required to be in her own room, playing quietly and not waking her brother up. It’s really lasted much longer than I might’ve thought.

We find that she really loves her little routines … movies on a Friday night; going to the gym on Saturday morning; samples at Costco. And she remembers things that absolutely amaze me. I really have to watch myself and not make any idle promises or threats because she will remember and call me on it. Good training for me, right? Say what you mean and mean what you say. She is less into TV than she once was. She loves to play her leapster or gameboy though and movies are still a hit. But she will spend hours writing in her workbooks or playing believe or coloring. I want to start getting into doing some more crafty projects with her. She really enjoys them.

She is a real joy to be around and we feel so very lucky to have her in our family. Every day is a joyful adventure with Miss Tabby.