Success! Success! Success!

The girls both had big successes today!

This morning Hannah did her new 63 piece puzzle with out any help! I just got it Saturday and had helped her through it once before. She's a quick study when she wants to be. On the other hand, reading lessons are going pretty slowly because she has lost interest a bit, but she can sound out/read words containing only the letters a, m, t, s, e, and r. That's not too shabby for a 3 year old. Plus, she has learned to make her own peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a little help with getting jelly out of the jar.

Genna put her tennis shoes on all by herself for the first time today! We've been practicing this for a week or less. I have a list of things I am trying to get her to learn to be more self-sufficient before Isaac arrives and requires my attention as well. So far she can take most clothes off by herself, including her shoes, she can drink from a cup without a lid, and she can almost climb into and can definitely climb out of her car seat (and the car) alone. What remains on the list? Washing hands alone, walking up steps holding onto the rail (with supervision, obviously, I just need my hands free,) and buckling the top buckle in her car seat. We are also working on her colors, and preparing to take away the pacifier completely (currently it doesn't leave the crib.) Another thing she learned to do today by watching her friend, Ethan, was slide down the slide on her belly. Although this was not on my list, I am very proud of her because I don't think Hannah could or would do that even now! Plus, at playgroup, she stood up for herself very nicely. A little boy was taking all her toys away while they were inside the tunnels. Another mother informed me of what was going on when I heard her getting upset and started to go intervene. When I got there, she was telling the boy (who steals everyones toys) "Noooooo!" in a very firm way. I was so proud of her for not hitting or just giving up and crying to mommy (like Hannah usually does) and standing up for herself!

I am so proud of my girls, but part of me doesn't want them to grow up quite so fast!