Road To Hope: Emeline's Quirks, Sillies and Milestones

...Lately, you have really been showing potty interest, so we bought you a big girl potty and some prizes for when you poop and stickers and stamps for when you tee-tee. So far there has been lots of sitting on the potty, lots of reading your potty books and watching Elmo's potty time, but no action...

...I understand your speech comes in lulls and leaps and I can always see them coming. One week you will have a lull, sleep soundly but have many temper tantrums because you feel so passionately about something you want to say or do, but can't just yet. The next week you will stir a bit in the night, wake-up and not only be a good listener and do as I say, but you can also verbalize better your feelings and wants/needs because your vocabulary grew just a little bit more. This captures our entire month of March. It was a dosey, but thankfully we are learning your habits and can prepare ourselves for what kind of week is in store for us...

...You can put your own shoes on now. This is huge because you take them off all. the. time..

...Still no real interest in counting other than the number two. I count to you very slowly and concise and you count back very slowly and concise '2, 2, 2'. Silly girl...

...You have become a little bit bossy and love to tell us to sit 'right there', put your meal 'right there', etc. I'd say this is your phrase of the month. You say 5-10 other two word phrases, but this is your favorite...

...At your Grammy and Poppa's house, you can open the doors. Thankfully not yet at home...

...This month started off with a bang and we had a lot of fun celebrating your Poppa's birthday and Dr. Seuss' birthday, but sadly mid-month, my Papa passed away and the rest of the month was full of hard moments and tough realizations that only us adults can understand...

...After Papa passed away, you really started acting out and I spoke with the hospice nurse about it and she mentioned that babies and toddlers can sense when someone is close to death and may scream, cry or act out because of it and you did. You've never seen me sad before and I think this is the first time you could sense that emotion...

...For the next three weeks, you were very temperamental, sensitive and stubborn. This has been our toughest stage yet and I pray it is behind us. For the first time, I felt like I had failed you as your mommy and that is such a sinking feeling when you don't have the answers. It's been a trail and error process and I'm learning more how to handle your temperaments every day...