So Tired

 Everyn is a very cuddly girl.  She likes to be carried, she likes to be babied and she will sit on people's laps for long periods of time.  Sometimes we read, sometimes she will just sit and suck her fingers and twirl her hair.

She also likes to play.  If I find dolls neatly tucked under a blanket, or a little girl grocery shopping- it is Everyn.  Berean rarely plays dolls or pretend, unless Ever puts her up to it.

Berean leaves her bag or basket somewhere, Ever picks it up and tries to make sure  Bre gets it back- even if it means using one of her 6 or so words to defend the object against another child.

 She has the same tongue protrusion thing as Lincoln, so I imagine speech therapy will be in her future.  She really wants to speak, however, and will actually attempt words, so that may work in her favor.  Lincoln is a more  of a "strong silent type" and even now when he can talk, does not share an abundance of information like some others in the household.

She says "Bre" the most.  Clearly, she idolizes her sister.  They watch the kindle together during screen time, and Ever always holds it.  This surprises me, because most other times Berean calls the shots. 

She will try to say the names of letters and numbers when she plays her matching game, and she really likes to move things around.

 For example, she loved these flowers at the children's museum- planting and unplanting them kept her very amused.

One time I had two bags of canned/bottle groceries, waiting to go downstairs.  She took every can out one by one and lined them all up on the kitchen floor.  Then she put them back in the bags, and then she repeated the scenario. 

She can go potty by herself, and tries to dress herself, but still has trouble with arm holes.  She likes to go on walks in the stroller, but other times she really exerts her independence- getting her own spoons, picking out her clothes etc.

She still sleeps in her crib, and doesn't try to get out.  This surprises us greatly.  The reason it surprises us is because in all other ways, she is an escape artist.

She is exhausting me- I have to be right by her at all times.  If it is not trying to use sharpies or scissors in inappropriate ways (she watches, and takes the boys supplies if they leave them out), it is trying to pull things off the counters.  If it is not pulling things off the counters, it is climbing on the counters to get things out of cabinets.  If it is not climbing on counters, it is attempting to get her own food and pour her own drinks.

If she is not in the kitchen, she is watching for  a door to be unmanned so that she can escape the house. 

We are working on teaching her what she is and is not supposed to do, but we have also been working on action plans- which doors are to remain locked etc, what to do if your sister tries to crawl out the door that you are coming through, how to safely contain Ever until Mom can finishing peeing and arrive on scene.  Stuff like that. 

I have also informed the neighbors, that she is an escape artist, and if they see her out unattended or wandering, that it is absolutely NOT authorized by me. She has not passed the "alone outside" test.

And so you will find me, for the duration of the spring and summer, an independent 2 year old's shadow.  I will be working day and night keeping her safe and out of mischief.  If you want to sign up for a shift, let me know.