Mika Update

How in the world has my baby grown into a 2 1/2 year old?!? It is ridiculous. She is only 2 but thinks she is 5 - in fact, in the car a few days ago she told me, "I gonna be five now Mama"(to which I replied "Oh Mika, that would make Mommy very sad" and she immediately said "sorry, I sorry, I not be five" - sweet girl).

Mika can be so stubborn occasionally that DJ and I are just going to have to let go and remember that she will be much more trainable in a year. For example, on Sunday DJ was getting her dressed for church and she was refusing to put on ANYTHING. We know that she has the potential for multiple meltdowns while getting dressed (she is very particular about what she wears) so we left extra time. I was busy with the Bigs and heard screaming for about 10 minutes. Screaming. Not just whining and crying and an occasional scream. No, top-of-the-lungs-someone-is-killing-me screams - for ten minutes. I finally went in there to see if DJ needed backup, and I have to give some props to my husband. He was so calm and collected, I wanted to pick up some pom-poms and cheer for him. Once Mika saw me, she cried and clung to me so I gave the "Mika, will you please put on these Minnie Mouse panties that are your favorite and that you picked out ten minutes ago?" speech. Of course a parent change and a hug would turn this ship around, right? Wrong. Strong willed two year olds are a force to be reckoned with. Within half an hour and multiple discipline attempts, we were still at square one. Finally, we just got her dressed because we are bigger and stronger and we had to leave for church. I will let my kids wear anything. Seriously, if they pick it out and think it looks good, so do I (outwardly, of course, inside I'm completely sick to my stomach at what other parents are thinking of me - another reason why I'm letting them dress themselves this summer - practice for mommy). There wasn't a stitch of clothing Mika was allowing on her body willingly. Who can tell I'm a little traumatized?? Having now 4 1/2 years of parenting experience under my belt, I have seen both Eli and Maci's stubbornness fade away significantly in the 4-5th year. I pray that I can love Mika with all her 2 year old independence and defiance in a way that makes her feel loved and disciplined while remembering that I don't have to meet every obedience milestone each meltdown - it's a tight rope walk sometimes. Thankfully, Mika is usually really great and easygoing...gives me huge stores of cute, sweet, and fun to think about when she's laying on the floor kicking and screaming with tears and snot running down her face.

This kid often sneaks off her panties and we find her bare bottomed and smiling.

Mika's favorite color is pink, her favorite animal is a dog, and her favorite food is a lollipop. She can jump and loves to play in the bathtub for at least 30 minutes after she's been washed. She sleeps in her toddler bed that once was her crib in a room all by herself, but soon will be sharing a room with Maci. One month from now, she will be going to preschool two mornings a week (eeeeeeekkk!) and loves to play pretend with her brother and sister. As most 2 year olds, Mika is crazy obsessed with books and snacks. Smoothies make her dance, singing makes her dance, wearing a skirt makes her dance, and seeing someone dance on tv makes her dance. Mika loves to dance.

During our convo last night, Mika told me that her best friend is her cousin Evan.

 

Mika was so sweet last night that after all the kids were in bed and DJ's parents had left, I snuck back in her room for a few more hugs. After she sheepishly confessed to sucking her thumb (like she really hides it so well), her face lit up and she snuggled onto my lap. We talked about her day and what her favorite part was (toss up between swimming with friends and eating a lollipop after dinner) and how much I love her. We talked! Like complete sentences and patterned conversation. Her chunky thigh rolls are all but gone, her head is almost too big to fit on my shoulder, and now we just hold hands instead of her grabbing onto my finger. I'm getting baby fever just writing this. I do love how I can leave without a diaper bag (there are always spare clothes in the car) and take showers while all the kids watch a tv show - having big kids has its perks.

I've said this before but I was really so worried about being able to love another kid as fiercely as I love Eli and Maci. I wondered if I would bond right away and if I would be so busy with the big kids that Mika would be left out. It is beautiful the way God makes us capable of loving so much. We really must be created in His image.