Suri's Top 5 (2.7)

Whoa, one month past 2 and 1/2 years... 2 years and 7 months, already?!? So many times I find my self reminiscing back to the days of rocking Suri when she was a baby while admiring her tiny features and thinking to myself, "I" have a baby... and now,as I now sit down to write this post, I can not describe the emotion of writing 2 years and 7 months old.I can now realistically say "I" have a toddler that is growing up faster than I can keep up!

Suri has definitely matured over this past month! Many of her quirky "baby"like behaviors are sadly disappearing and I now find myself having conversations with a mini me! Suri Rose is definitely a "tell it like it is" little girl and her outgoing nature is so admirable. I probably admire this characteristic because it is so opposite of how I feel I am. Suri notices everything! Every person, every little thing, every noise and she is the first one to acknowledge each of them. This definitely makes life interesting and there is never a quiet moment when she is awake :)

Suri's Top 5 (2.7)

•  Suri insists on wearing her bike HELMET when she rides her scooter and her bikes! Such a good girl. (she recently saw a friend of ours who was badly injured in a motorcycle accident and she is now obsessed with wearing her helmet in order not to, as Suri says "smash her face"). Every motorcyclist or cyclist that we see, she points out if they are wearing their helmet or not. If they are not wearing one, she tells me that they are not a good listener and they should go home and get one before they "smash their face". I guess one good thing came out of my friend's accident, Suri learned a very valuable lesson!
• Favorite food of choice is a cheeseburger and chocolate milkshake! (definitely does NOT take after her mother in this department!)
• Obsessed with putting on Tattoos all by herself! (hopefully this phase passes before she becomes a teenager).
• Enjoys talking on the phone and actually can carry on a thoughtful conversation (hopefully this phase passes as well, before she becomes a teenager :). She loves to talk to Grandpa and her Aunties :) It is funny to watch how she has matured- before, she used to look at the phone like there was someone inside, or she would answer questions with a nod.  Now she gets it and enjoys the concept.  I foresee a high phone bill one of these days.... (sigh)
• Suri watched her FIRST FULL LENGTH MOVIE.... E.T (Suri watched this movie from start to finish without taking her eyes off the screen!  She even began to cry when she thought E.T was going to die!!  Ironically, E.T is the first movie I watched in the theater when I was 4 years old! She was thrilled when her stuffed E.T doll arrived in the mail. Thank goodness for Amazon and China!  Those ugly little creatures are hard to find!

This past month, Suri has began to take more of an interest in playing "with" other children. She seeks them out on the playground and I have even heard her ask a little girl "please may I play with you". Many times, the other child eagerly accepts her invitation and the 2 of them run off in aimless motion...however there was one time the other day, she asked 2 little girls who were about 6 years old if she could play with them, and the little girl sternly replied "no".  When I heard the little girls remark, and I saw Suri's confused reaction, my heart hurt so badly for her. Suri was so innocent and she is learning that the world is not always a kind place. She is starting to notice personalities of people and she is always asking me if I am happy or sad. Sometimes when she is playing she will tell her dollies that she is really mad at them.  She is trying to figure out what these words mean and is interested in learning about different emotions and how to use them in context.

 Suri also received her new orthotics this month and at first she protested wearing them as the arch is firmer and the toe is elevated but after a few days of breaking them in, she now insists on wearing them. Hopefully these will help keep her ankles aligned and hopefully help her left knee maintain alignment as well. I sure hope all our efforts pay off one day and that Suri will bypass knee and back troubles like her Momma and Aunties have...
An update on her therapy:  we recently began her Occupational Therapy at Kidzspot PediatricTherapy. Her therapist Debbie is trained in Therapeutic Listening and since her therapist Amy is no longer at SHC, Suri and I have somewhat been on our own with her albums (since January). Suri was re evaluated last week which revealed many of her strengths and gains that she has made since last July and identified or actually confirmed some of the sensitivities that she has that I am already aware of. Debbie felt as though Suri was benefit from returning to OT once a week for a while to build on her gains and strengthen some of the areas of concern. Suri has only gone 2 times but seems to enjoy her time with Debbie and has fun at Kidzspot. Fingers crossed we will be able to get back on track shortly :)

Suri has been so healthy this past year, we have been so fortunate since she is no longer at a public daycare This past week, she did get her first case of pink eye along with an upper respiratory infection (compliments of her friends Hannah and Calum!) She was a trooper with her eye drops and thankfully it all passed without complications. Me on the other hand, caught the virus and of course had a reaction to the drops which caused my entire face and throat to swell! I honestly looked like something out of a sci-fi movie!  Luckily, after receiving different eye drops, I no longer look like a cyclops and am feeling somewhat better. Definitely not a fun way to spend a couple of days off work!

This past week I received a phone call from Mary at Little Friends Montessori inviting Suri to begin school in their summer program which would begin June 1st. As I have mentioned before, I have had Suri on the waiting list for this highly recommended Montessori school since last July/ August and I was thoroughly prepared to have her start the moment there was a spot available... until I received the phone call ....and then I panicked :(  Reality hit me that life was going to change AGAIN and that Suri is now old enough to be considered for school!  After talking with Mary about the summer program and all that was involved, I decided it would be in Suri's best interest (and mine :) to have her start in September. I definitely feel at peace with my decision and am excited for Suri to begin at Little Friends in the fall. For now, we will enjoy our summer with Mary Beth and her little friends in the neighborhood. Suri is already telling people she is going to go to school in September!  This little smarty, at 2 years old, is ready to take on the world (so she thinks!)
School... already... I can't believe it!

Suri is definitely growing and changing in so many ways. Her little mind is expanding and soaking up her environment faster than a sponge soaks up water. She is thinking, asking questions, using humor, formulating thoughts, and problem solving. It is fascinating to have a front row seat in watching her mature. Again, I wish I could pause time but since I can not, I am trying to enjoy each and every moment of our life together.

 Life is good and we are truly blessed!