Adventures in vocabulary

I really ought to have a picture for this post, since it's all about how my little girl is growing up. But no picture. Use your imagination.

She is using sentences. It still takes me by surprise when I hear something like "I see you, mom" and "it's my turn!" She's always learning new words. She's also an expert mimic and so can say more words than she strictly knows. The other day, following Nathan's lead, she said "dangerous."

She loves to follow her brother around and copy him. They are playing so well together lately, however with frequent outbursts of screaming. But she thinks everything he does is funny, and having such an appreciative audience is always welcome for a three year old.

She loves shoes. She'll put on any that she can find. Nathan's are the best because she can get them on and they'll stay on. But occasionally she'll get her own sandals on, usually only one and usually on the wrong foot, and then she'll walk around enormously pleased with herself.

She also loves to clean up, usually when it's not sanctioned. On Saturday at a baby shower she had a great time picking up some clothespins that had fallen on the floor. When she was done, she knocked them all back on the floor, said "clean up, clean up" and proceeded to pick them all up. She did this several times. It was a grand game. Today I broke a casserole dish and despite my repeated efforts to get her out of the kitchen, she managed to pick up some of the pieces of glass and put them in the garbage while I was trying to sweep up and keep her out of it. Not that I didn't appreciate the help, but I'm sure nobody loved the bandaging trip to the bathroom we had to take next. She wouldn't use the hand with the bandaid for several hours.

She's also picked up Nathan's old habit; when she's sad or angry or just doesn't like what she's hearing, she shakes her head and say "nuffing nuffing nuffing!" Levi finds it funny while I am annoyed. I think if he had to hear it as often as I do the cuteness would wear off.