Indie's 4!

Like every mother ever, I'm a bit in disbelief at how old this kid is getting. Just the fact that she is a kid is tripping me out.  No more free entrance to events for us. Kissing the free '3 and under' goodbye!

This is probably bias, but I feel like Indie is a very clever little kid.  She likes to do addition and subtraction problems  (without knowing they are addition and subtraction problem). She'll ask questions like, 'how many teeth do I have?'  20.  'So if I get 6 more I'll have 26!'  Or '5 days Daddy goes to work and 2 days he stays home, so 7 days in a week!'  

Indie likes to use her imaginary 12 children (who are all age 3 by the way) to help understand and relate to hard situations.  For example, we don't often buy cereal but one day I bought Lucky Charms.  Indie was really excited about this.  I promised I'd pack a bag for her that she could eat on the drive over to swim lessons.  I totally spaced it and forgot to pack the snack.  Indie was devastated.  She started crying and immediately started telling me about the time that she told her kids that she'd bring their very favorite toy on a trip for them, but she forgot.  Indie told me how sad it made all of her kids feel when she forgot something they were looking forward to.  But then Indie offered a few other (not as favorite) toys, to help her kids not be so sad. Her story really impressed me.  Not only did Indie communicate in depth the way she was feeling, but also problem solved and communicated how I could help her with those feelings.  And, bonus points, she was trying to put herself in the shoes of being a mom and making a similar mistake. She will use her imagination and stories similar to this to process things verbally with me.  (PS, Indie's children have never all been named but Cynthie, Mill-o, & Sallo are her most honorable mentions) 

Indie has a great imagination, her very favorite thing is to hear me tell her stories about a fairy named Magnolia.. The stories always start with 'Once upon a time there was a little girl named Indie, and she was very...'  Indie then fills in an emotion or activity and we take the story from there. Sometimes she'll just sit and soak in the story, other times she likes to help create and move the story line.  She asks for these stories multiple times a day.

Indie gets really stressed out by scary or suspenseful shows. For example, the Little Einstein's Halloween episode, she's never been able to watch it. Certain episodes of bubble guppies seem to be especially traumatic as well. She's a very tender soul.

Indie assumes everyone who walks into our house loves and adores her.  She greets everyone with an enthusiastic parade of hellos and hugs. Even if she's never seen them before.  She'll jump in your arms and just can't wait to be your new best friend.  

Indie hates touching anything yucky, wet, or slimy.  She does not like being dirty.  She has never, thus far, gotten hurt without automatically melting down.  Any bonk, scratch or fall is always followed by very loud, very long crying spells. We are working on being brave... and having proportionate responses...

Indie loves carrots, sweet peas, apple sauce, and all berries!  Her favorite thing is to eat raw noodles, cold noodles, plain noodles.  She loves to ask for Spaghetti, cold, just noodles. She loves carbs, doesn't care for protein, and couldn't care less about desserts and treats.  She'll eat a few bites, but rarely finishes or asks for treats. 

At night, Indie loves to pretend to fall asleep on the floor, after we've finished our nighttime routine. Which Damon and I love, because Indie continues to pretend to be asleep long after we've carried her to her bed and tucked her in.  She doesn't say a word as we leave.  No asking for one more, or saying wait wait wait!  

Indie doesn't like to wear pants.  She'll do leggings and dresses, but jeans just don't seem to fit her right, regardless of the size and fit we try. She's got the skinniest little legs. 

Indie's ditched her dream of space exploration, although she can identify and name each of the planets. She now plans on being a mommy when she grows up.  

Indie will fall asleep surrounded by at least ten books each night.  She can spell, write and type her name.  She has a knack for learning and is eager to be taught.  She throws out new vocabulary words every so often that crack Damon and me up.  She loves to work in her preschool and kindergarten work books, especially if she's got a friend to do it with. 

It's been a joy to watch Indie mature in her sweet and caring nature.  She is becoming more productive in her desire to help, which is awesome! She can be very aware and attentive.  She loves to be told when she's done something well.  (Who doesn't?)

  Indie is starting to test her independence with talking back and acting out a bit more, testing boundaries.  As always, her behavior is almost always directly linked to how attentive and connected I've been with her.  If I've been busier or less involved, it's easy to see how quickly this will make Indie act out.  If I'm plugged in and engaged, she'll still test boundaries but is easy to reason with her and calm her down. Which is a pretty duh parenting statement.

Indie often mistakes big radio towers for the Eiffel Tower. She believes in fairies, is not afraid of the dark or trying new things.  She loves animals, but hates bugs.  

Indie took swimming lessons and will confidently dunk herself into the water and swim short distances. 

Indie can't remember a time she's seen a rainbow in real life, and often talks of her hopes and dreams of one day discovering a real life rainbow for herself. 

Indie likes to rename everyone in our family with the prefix of 'rainbow glitter sparkle'.  She hates being renamed anything, however. She's very stern with the fact that she is just INDIE.

Indie enables my clothes shopping.  She loves to see what I'm looking at, will encourage purchasing anything and everything and ups the ante by commenting on how beautiful or wonderful each item is. She's quick to compliment outfits, hairstyles and makeup she likes. 

Indie LOVES to have her hair up in '4 buns' which are really more of these four teeny top knots on top of her head. She asks for it every morning. I can't believe I don't have a picture of her sporting this hairstyle.  The reason she likes four buns so much, we've discovered, is because it takes the longest to do.  I let her watch shows on my phone while we do hair. Ergo, long hairstyle, long show.  She's just in it for the perks. 

Every morning Indie comes in at 7:15 to my room (when her green light goes off) announces that she waited for her light, then goes off and plays with Stella or by herself til around 8.

We sure love this smart, independent, emotional, sweet, imaginative little girl.  Here's to another great year of learning and growing and loving having this silly face in our family. 

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