April 2006

I thought I was going to be bored, but haven’t had anytime to be bored. Molly and I are busy taking walks, playing, learning our way around, and making new friends. Molly has always been a social butterfly and enjoys “talking” to anyone and everyone. I decided to sign us both up for some classes since there is so much offered in Plano for kids. There is a ton of stuff, unfortunately most of it is during work hours. The cost of living is so low that it is easy to be a stay at home mom – well, except for me who is a single mom. So, most of the activities revolve around stay at home moms. I did find a swim class that starts in June, a gymnastic class that she starts in May, and Kindermusik that she will start in the fall. Molly is talking a lot more now and is really understanding a lot too. She still loves to eat – a lot and is tall and thin. She is in the 95% for height and 25% for weight – which I find amazing since she seems to eat so much. She loves cheese which I give to her while I am preparing dinner. She can say cheese and has now started to call all food cheese! She is obsessed with shoes, like me, and is therefore supporting the nurture side of the whole nurture vs nature debate! She can say shoes and socks. The second I take off my shoes she begins putting them back on me. I have to hide them, out of her sight, unless I want her to either: put them on me, put them on herself, or run around the house play with them! She still loves the cats, but neither will pay the least bit of attention to her, except to run away in disgust. Peajoe is slightly more patient than Scout. Peajoe will allow her to pet him if I hold her. Molly is very gently so I hope that one day the cats will come around. The cats are loving the new house. It has large windows that go almost to the floor – perfect cat level windows! No more little lizards to watch and chase, but they have discovered that there are tons of bunnies in the yard! Bunny watching and sleeping seems to fill their days nicely. Some new words include: “cook cook” – which means Cookie Monster and “Elmo.” She loves Sesame Street and The Wiggles – although she does have a fear of Snuffaluffacus. She wants to watch him on TV, but needs to be in the safety of my lap! She loves music and tolerates my singing to her. She can do the motions for “Itsy Bitsy Spider”, “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”, and “The Wheels on the Bus.” She will give anyone a kiss when they ask for one, except me. When I ask for a kiss, she takes her hands, gently puts them against my face, pushes my face away and emphatically says “NO.” It’s insulting, but I’m learning to accept it! She thinks that I am trying to torture her when I wipe her nose – apparently it is almost as bad as getting a shot at the doctor – what a fuss she makes!