Kylie at Four and A Half

I just had to jot a few things down about this precious girl because I want to remember what she was like at this point in her life.  Although she is still a stubborn, bossy, fiery little lady, she has so many things about her right now that I am SO enjoying.

 Kylie has the most fabulous imagination ever right now. She plays by herself magnificently and is never silent. She is always chatting away in her own little world . . . and the props don't need to be anything special. Although she loves playing with her dolls, polly pockets, barbies etc., a few squash peels will do just as well and provide just as much entertainment. (though I'm not sure she would appreciate the gesture if that's what she found under the Christmas tree:))  So I introduce to you the squash peel family:

I did up my squash last week and it was a bit lengthier of a process than I anticipated, but she was a trooper, keeping herself occupied and helping when inspiration hit. When the squash were still whole, she had a mom, dad and baby squash and they all got baths complete with soap.  They were a mite slippery to work with when they came back to me!   Then when that was over there were the peels which she named and played and chatted with for at least 40 minutes. I think its amazing!!  I LOVE listening to her chatter anyway. I'd love to have video after video of it, but that never seems to work out. At this very moment she is chatting away about "sister who went to the hospital because she couldn't find her heart" "You are really brave Donna!" "You bet." "Where's our kid?" "She went to the hospital. She's never going to be back." "Its not my fault." "Kid hit me right in the face and she started bleeding." "You punched me in the face and its all your fault for doing that." "She's been feeling so sick this afternoon." "You'll be okay. I'll stab you in a minute" "Don't hurt my kid!" "She has to have it or she won't feel better."      " Hi worker . . .oh hi Jezebel." . . . Use your imagination and a few different voices . . . she does have her doctors kit with her. . . if that helps make her seem less violent:)

Her other favorite thing - which occupies her almost constantly - is Adventures in Odyssey.  I love Odyssey too, but I have to admit that it is about driving me crazy.  She picks a CD and that is the one we hear ALL DAY . . . and ALL WEEK!!! . . . until she is inspired to try a new one . . . but those are never as good in her mind. She likes to hear the ones she knows.  I don't.  It is not uncommon to hear her spouting out phrases from Odyssey. It reminds me of other older family members!  She might randomly pipe up, "Useless?  Who says I'm useless? I'm not useless, I'm just a pest!" (Jimmy Barclay) and she's got plenty of other quotes too . . .or she just talks along with the characters and says their lines before them.  (I can do it now too. . . but its not really my choice!!) 

Kylie is also learning her letters and loves writing them out -- especially her name.  She seems determined to leave her mark on this home of ours!  I see her handiwork just about everywhere I look!!

This is my hutch/desk.  You have to look hard to see her pink pencil crayon name b/c the desk was also attacked by an exploding spray can of varnish last year. The desk needs a serious redo, so the addition of her name was not too catastrophic. 

 Then there is her best buddy - the stereo that gives her Odyssey. I guess she's claiming it as hers. (yes she gets her letters in the wrong order sometimes!)

 This may look like a piece of paper (she does use paper occasionally), but this time it is the wall of our stairway.  This was her first contribution.  The stairway also needs a serious coat of paint and is on our list of "soon to do's", so again, no big deal.

 This is my latest find . . . my dresser.  We had a little chat after this one.  I'm thinking now is a good time and place for her to get this out of her system.

 And last (hopefully!) is my front door. 

 She is getting witty lately too.  She loves knock knock jokes.  Kade comes home from school with a joke nearly every day, and she loves to add her own renditions. They are most often rather lame, but the other day she did all of the sudden turn to me and say, "Mommy, you are pretty!"  I was temporarily flattered until she added, "Pretty ugly!!!"  Hmmmm.  I'm not sure how I end up being the recipient of that one, since it was not my line to begin with . . . she borrowed that one from the males in this family, though we hadn't heard it for a while, so I didn't think too much of it when she started the "compliment!"   I did have to laugh.
Another recent conversation (actually I didn't respond!):  "Mom, I wish I could be a mom like you.  Except I don't want to be chubby. Cause you're chubby."  Thanks.

She is also my mess maker.   A simple request such as "Go get your pajamas on." will inevitably end up in her whole drawer being tossed (and left) on the floor.  She loves to dump and empty . . . and does NOT like to clean up.  She does have to help with cleanup though. . . .although more often than not, she makes too big of a deal of it, takes too long, or gets too sidetracked (that imagination is not always a good thing!), and someone else (usually dad) will come along and clean up. I am sometimes content (well, not really) to leave a mess on the floor for some time in order for her to not get away with laziness.  Jonathan does NOT like mess lying around.  BUT . . . if she is in the right mood, she can do a pretty good cleanup - usually it has to have been her own idea - not the intructions of her mother.

A few weeks ago I picked up a ballerina top and a ballerina movie at the second hand store for like 75 cents.  She LOVES it and spends lots of time twirling and whirling around on her toes with her hands above her hair. She looks rather "special" in her outfit. I don't have a picture yet, but I'll have to take one one of these days:)

She still LOVES going out and wants to know the itinerary of the day the minute she wakes up.  I find this annoying b/c I prefer to announce where we are going a few minutes before we leave in order to avoid a thousand, "When are we leaving?" or "How much longer".

She also loves food and would eat all day long if I let her.  Twenty minutes after breakfast she is asking for a snack and then another and usually starting at about 9:30 the countdown to lunchtime starts. She knows that lunch time is when the big hand hits the 12.  So in her mind, lunch time is at 10:00, 11:00, and 12:00 and if the hand is on its way down, "AAHHH . . . we missed lunch!!!"

She LOVES answering the phone and if you call here, you can bet you will get her answering the phone. This works well most of the time . . .until the boys get home . . then it is a big fight if the phone rings and you'll proabably hear screeching instead of a pleasant "hello".

Well that is just a bit of Kylie right now.  I'm quite enjoying and treasuring our days together . . . (but she does still drive me a little crazy some days!!!)  These are special days though, and she'll be off to school before I know it (She can't wait!) (I can!!)

 And two other completely non-related pictures - because I did take two since September;)

Apparently we had a fair bit of rain this fall. I think this is from the middle of September and it is on our driveway!  Water is such an attraction for kids . . .

 Kevin and Kyra on Thanksgiving Day.  What cuties:)