6 months with us.

Katie has been with us for 6 months now. Where is she? How far has she come? How is she doing?

First off, she's turned into a true "2 year old" before our eyes. She's still itty bitty tiny, but full of spirit. She can be naughty, and delights in being naughty. From running away from me at Karate classes (onto the mats) to trying to dart out into the street at home, she is showing us that she wants to be independent. Developmentally I would guess she is on target. According to this chart Katie can do a lot of the things, some I'm not so sure.

"Takes off clothes" - yes, she takes off her shoes in the van, unzips her pjs at night, and takes off the diaper.

"Dumps an object in imitation" - yes, she throws such things away as remote controls, wedding rings, cell phones, toys, plates, cups, bowls, sippy cups, etc.

"Helping around the house." - she takes the folded laundry and shakes it for me. ;) She showed us in Jamestown that she can sweep...well sort of.

"draws a straight line" - ummm, she scribbles sort of well. The scribbles can be straight lines, but I'm not sure they are intentional.

"Walks up and down stairs." - oh that's a good one! ROFL I won't allow it. She does go up and down the stairs...on her bottom or crawling. She can walk up a single small step, and down it.

"follows 2 step directions" - when she wants to she can.

"sings simple tunes" - umm, depends on whether what she is singing in what sounds like Chinese is truly a song or if it's baby gibberish nonsense. It's got a tune though. Okay, she does sing the Imperial March very very well. This baby can carry a tune!

Those are the highlights, and I would say she's right around the 22 months mark which is PERFECT, but not everything from each column.

I noticed on this "milestone chart" that she is supposed to have a certain number of words. I need to count, but it's hard because she imitates words well. We just do not know which she actually knows what it means. She is definitely not using words to communicate with us. She understands what we say, but she'd rather point and scream for a drink instead of saying "Want juice." Okay, so Katie would say, "Want coca-cola instead." ;)

Attachment. Katie seems to prefer me unless we're in a strange situation, then she wants Daddy. Okay, honestly, she seems to prefer both of us. Some days she leaps into my arms, other days it's Daddy. Sometimes she asks me to pick her up, other times Daddy. We've left her in Sunday School, but not worship care. That is soon. She has done really well, but we can tell it slightly bothers her. She knows though that it is church and that we will come back. It's the new places with lots of people that it takes her about 30 minutes or so to relax enough to realize we aren't leaving her. If she is scared or frightened, she definitely wants her Daddy. If she is hurt (from falling down) or perceives herself to be hurt (from walking into a stuffed animal) or if her feelings are hurt (from someone denying her greatest desire..of oh putting a lego in her mouth), she'll come to me. She gives Daddy kisses and both of us get hugs.

Katie sleeps through the night and is somewhat easy to put down for bedtime. She needs her music playing (I changed it up recently and started playing Disney Lullabies). She likes specific blankets (imitation of her cousin who is slightly older than her). We notice that she doesn't sleep well after "stressful events" such as going on vacation, daddy working late, or being "babysat" by grandparents.

Katie in December 2007 - These were two of our "better" photos. It broke my heart too much to take the ones of her rejecting me, screaming when she saw me, and crying her grief out!



Katie now! :) (yes I know you've seen it, but I love it!)