Backpack

She loves that Kai Lan backpack. She was so excited and cute leaving yesterday. Unfortunately, there is a playground right outside the building where she goes to school. She had a major fit yesterday because she couldn't go play there right after school (it's locked). That's going to be fun for the next ten months. :)

Gorgeous

Preschool

Maria started preschool yesterday, she did very well. She did so well, in fact, that she has been bugging me ever since to go and see "the teacher!". I'm taking her by myself tomorrow (Mike took her yesterday because I was sick) so I'm not sure how she'll do with me leaving her, but so far so good. She's so funny, they get up so early and then she wants to go outside when it's not even light out! She wants to go to the store and she doesn't CARE that they're not open yet. Bossy, bossy, bossy.

Determination

She really knows where she's going, right?

Playing with Parker

My nephew Parker came over today and Maria was shy with him at first but then she warmed up. He and she kicked and threw the ball around, so of course she loved that. I said, when she was being shy, "it's Parker! From our prayers? Remember?" and she said, really quietly, "Parker!".

We went to a playroup today, and she went and sat in the STROLLER to 'take a rest'. She wakes up too early but I think maybe she is getting sick, too. She's been a little warm all day. I'm keeping an eye on her and I am praying whatever it is is gone by Monday when she is supposed to start preschool. Mike went to the parent meeting last night and said they are going to work on colors and shapes this year, which of course Maria already knows so. I hope she's not bored, I have a bad feeling about how she'll be when she's bored. :)

Legs

She's got some tough legs, right? She is a strong thing. You should see her pull that damned wagon around the yard. She can be so sweet here lately "Nice to meet you, Mommy!", she'll say to me, half way through the day. Or, "Mommy? I'm glad you're here". She's a funny thing.

Reading her palm, maybe

I hope she sees a successful preschool experience in her future. We shall see, I suppose, next Monday.

Little Help?

She was yelling HELP! to me. I was finishing my workout and she and Veronica went outside, she got V in the wagon and started running her around the yard, but she got stuck on the sidewalk. I moved it over the sidewalk and tried to finish working out but then I had to go back out because although Veronica could get IN the wagon, she couldn't get out. Please note that Maria was already dressed this morning and had disrobed by 9:30, when this picture was taken. Next Monday and preschool cannot come soon enough!

Workhorse

She is a determined person. It's been cooler here this week, so we've been able to goooooo ouuuuuuuutsiiiiiiide, which makes Maria happy, as you can imagine.

Donuts, and Bagels ,and Coffees!

She sings that - "get donuts, and bagels, and coooofffffeeees!" - on Saturday mornings when she wants to go in the car with Mike to get Dunkin Donuts. I don't know how it occurs to her to make up these songs, but I have to say, it is super cute and makes you want to do what she's asking. I love that she calls coffee coffees and tea teas.

Sweet

They are all really into lollipops here lately. Maria especially likes the red ones. She is starting preschool a week from Monday! I can't believe it. I feel like I know how it's going to go at first, which is to say BADLY. She doesn't love change and she doesn't love people telling her what to do. But I know she's going to really succeed there and it's going to be a great first step. A lot of my friends on Facebook are all "oh, Nooooo, my kid is going to kindergarten and where has the time gone and blah blah blah" and I just do NOT understand that way of thinking. I can't believe Maria won't even start KINDERGARTEN for THREE years! I think this is a natural progression for children: they are little babies, then toddlers, then they do some organized type of preschool, then Kindergarten, then school and then they turn 18 and get the hell out of my house! Ha!

Nutball

She is so funny. I can't even stand it, how funny and crazy she is.
She never, ever stops talking. She repeats herself SO much. She'll say "Go up here?" and I'll say, "no, not right now, the crock pot is there and it's hot and you could possibly hurt.." and then she interrupts and says "Go up here? Go up here? Go up here? GO UP HERE PLEASE? GO UP HERE PLEASE? GOOOOOOOO UUUUUUUUP HEEEEEEERE?" Wow. It's insane. The other day she talked and cried and screamed so much at me, my ear was ringing by the time I went to work.
What the hell? What the hell is this face? WHO DOES THIS? Something tells me that I am going to be glad to be Maria's mother and not her enemy when she gets just a little bit older.

Pig? Pig? Pig?

So at first, she was scared of THIS pig, too. I had to hit it several times to prove to her that it was fake. It was right outside the pig barn, where they had the CUTEST little baby pigs inside the door, but she was freaking out every time she got away from this pig. We took her last year to the State Fair, and we'll take her in the years ahead, but man. I hope she starts to like it a little better.

City Kid

Maria had no interest in touching any of the farm animals that we saw at the Fair yesterday. Like, NONE.

Sated

She is so funny. I know Anthony looks kind of crazy here, but I just love the way she looks here. He was lying there, happy as could be, and up she went, scooted him over, and looked at me. She loves him, I know she considered it to be a really big deal that they lay there together for like ten minutes. That is a lifetime of attention from Anthony, believe me!

We are missing Mike this week, I am looking forward to tomorrow, when I can start thinking "he'll be home tomorrow".