Life as we now know it

There is a saying that imitation is the highest form of flattery. I think no one can understand this as well as the parent of a 3-year old. I have learned a lot about myself this last week and a half since we now have one of those creatures running around who watches everything I do. I forget how much she is watching and absorbing, until I hear her say something just like me. Today she went to put her doll to bed and I could see her from where I was sitting on the couch. She did an entire bedtime routine with her doll, and she did it EXACTLY like I do it every night.

So one afternoon I decided to channel this desire to be like "mommy" and had her work alongside me. Because I work from home, I have to try and get in my weekly hours by doing it mostly here and there. I've become pretty good at maximizing my early morning hours, and my evening hours. One afternoon I needed to have some time of just sitting down at my desk and doing a few things on the computer, but I knew Gabby wouldn't last that whole time doing something by herself. So she sat on the floor next to me and I put her to work shredding paper. She thought this was so fun. I gotta keep that one in my back pocket for another day!

I've been trying to come up with activities to keep her occupied and engage her brain in different ways. Thank you, Aunt Debbie, Uncle Darin, Tyson, Logan & Avery for the box of craft supplies. That was a definite hit! Today I sat at the table to do more work, and gave Gabby a bowl of dried rice and beans, along with 2 other empty bowls and some measuring cups. She sat there for almost an hour scooping the rice and beans from one bowl to another, and pretending she was baking. There was quite a collection of rice and beans on the floor when she was done, and when I pulled out the hand vac to clean it up, she insisted that she do it, so I let her. She's quite the helper. She likes to dust when I give her a microfiber cloth, and she'll also ask for the little hand broom and dustpan so she can clean the kitchen floor.

But honestly, it's more than just the labor benefits that we're enjoying about her!! She has brought a LOT of joy and even more energy into our home. We are so thankful for her and are praying hard for a good outcome on the 20th of March when Grandma's appeal is heard.