Growing up

The other day at Hy-Vee, I thought I would be a nice mom and rent Charlotte's Web for Maegan since we had just finished reading the story together. We took the display DVD case up to the counter and Maegan inspected it while we waited for assistance. The video clerk took the case and brought back the DVD in the standard plain black case with no pictures on it and I completed the rental transaction. When I handed the case to Maegan to hold, she proceeded to cry and say, "I want the other one!" There was no explaining to her that Hy-Vee doesn't let us take the pretty DVD case with the picture of the pig and the spider. Maegan cried all through the store and kept saying, "I want the other one!" over and over and over again.

Here's the happy part: after a lunch and a good nap, she told me, "Mommy, I'm sorry I cried at the store today." WOW! That blew me away. She apologized hours later immediately after her nap and I hadn't even mentioned it since we got home from the store before lunch. She sure is growing up!

Miss Maegan

It has been a long time since my last post, so this is going to be a big one! I have been taking notes so I wouldn't forget some of the cute things Maegan has been doing and saying. She's becoming more independent and "grown up" all the time. She loves to TALK. Here are some of the things she has been saying:

• I'm not a cutie pie, I'm Maegan!
• Are you listening?
• Why?
  
• I said to myself...
• Come play with the doll house with me, Daddy, it's fun!
• [While stirring brownie mix with me while her cousin was over]: I have a very important job! Jaidyn, I can't play right now; I have a very important job! [Repeat, repeat, repeat.]
• But why?
  
• I'm not going to be a daddy. [Me: You're going to be a momma.] No...I'm going to be a unicorn! That will be fun!
  
• I still need a boy in my life. I need to get married. [Bad influence from Disney movies, especially her favorite, Cinderella.]

Speaking of Disney movies, I know many moms of small children will agree when I say that most of them are very scary. They have scary witches and magic mirrors and huntsmen with knives. Maegan talks very seriously about Snow White and Aladdin having scary parts and Cinderella and her Little Einsteins DVD's not having any scary parts. We started watching the Grinch movie on TV before Christmas (the one with Jim Carrey), and she was so scared by the Grinch's face I thought she was going to wet her pants. She let out a seriously blood-curdling scream when his face appeared on the screen. Hopefully she's not scarred for life.


I think Maegan has good language skills for her age, but she does struggle with a few words/sounds. She says Ethan's name "Even" and "cool" sounds like "tool". She likes to help me bake (and eat) "tookies". Her favorite color is "ellow" and she likes to watch "TB". Her favorite shows are on PBS: Curious George, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Dragon Tales, and Sesame Street. As recently as a couple of months ago she would almost always say "hello" to Elmo when he came on and talk to him a bit after she gave the "TB" a hug and a kiss. She excitedly told Cookie Monster once, "I got new shoes!" She also loves to talk on the play phone and talk to puppets and stuffed animals. She recently named the horse "Sweetie". It was out in the living room for Ethan to ride, but she wanted me to move it to her room so Sweetie could take a nap next to her. We had to cover Sweetie up with a blanket, too.

Maegan can now consistently recite the alphabet correctly. She loves to "read" books quietly in her room by herself. We routinely read together before her nap and before bed. We've read through her Jesus Storybook Bible twice, Charlotte's Web, and now we're working on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Her favorite library book recently was a knock-knock joke book. Knock knock! Who's there? Sue. Sue who? Sue-prise!


She can "read" the word "Hy-Vee" and even noticed that one of the local stores had a white sign instead of red lettering like the standard logo. She said, "Where did the red go?" She loves to ride Henry the Horse at the store we visit every week and she can climb up on him and push the start button all by herself now.

How do you know that the political season is in full swing in Iowa? When your three year old repeats the candidates' names after she hears the ads. I heard her say Barak Obama, Fred Thompson, and "Ritt Momney".


There are certain things that Maegan must do on her own and she gets upset if you try to help her. She insists on turning on and off lights by herself, and may even get upset if you've been in the room for awhile (e.g. the kitchen first thing in the morning) and the light is already on when she comes in. I've finally persuaded her that it is ok to turn the light off and on again if she must do so to circumvent a meltdown. She also insists on zipping up her own pajamas, climbing into her bed, and flushing the toilet for herself. If only she would have the same desire to put on her own shoes and wipe her own bottom.


Maegan has always been a good (not picky) eater and graciously tries pretty much anything I ask her to try. Her favorites:

• Broccoli (no kidding; at the store she gets all excited when I show her I'm buying it)
• Yogurt (French vanilla flavor is her daily afternoon snack)
• Bread, except the crusts
  
• Ice cream, cookies, candy, chips, etc. (no surprise here)
• Co-co wheats
  

She's not fond of tomato sauces, even on pizza. She successfully chewed a piece of gum the other day without swallowing it, but got upset about the piece she did swallow and insisted that her throat and tummy hurt after she swallowed it.

Maegan loves to jump, run, skip and dance. Here's a video of her with her new dancing doll "Twirly Girl" (thanks, Grandma Denise!):