7 months later

Holy smokes where did the time go?????????? My little baby is already a big girl. Potty trained, no more woobie, starting school. All in the blink  of an eye.

Danica you have truly taught me things really are mind over matter. I have learned that if we put something in our mind we can do it or not do it. When you decided you would start going potty on the toliet that is exactly what you did at 2 1/2 years old and you are accident proof since. Potty is in the toliet! So is a roll of toilet paper some times, but potty is in and that's what counts!

When it came to mind over matter  in regards to your woobie well that was a little different because you LOVED all your woobies, you were a woobie addict, and an equal opportunity woobie addict as well. With that said, here is the final chapter and story about the woobie....We went boating on Uncle Neil and Auntie Terry's new pontoon boat on the Chain of Lakes, a beautiful day early June. Reindeer woobie was in the beach bag when we boarded and a few hours later reindeer woobie was gone....forever. You were standing with Charli at the end of the boat, you had dropped your woobie overboard, and honey that was the last time you saw woobie. You and Charli, her arm around you, consoling you, stood there for what seemed like eternity saying good bye to woobie, as it disappeared in to the lake. She explained to you that once the woobie went in the water it wasn't coming back and you seemed to understand. Uncle Eric sang an original score, "bye bye woobie" and we all mourned the loss of your beloved Reindeer woobie. Charli said to you we could get another to which you responded " that was my only one." We didn't talk much more about woobie after that, it was like the end scene of a romance novel made into a movie.

On the flip of that emotional night we did have some pacifiers at home and you found them.....much to our dismay..... and used them for a few days but you knew you were a big girl and babies use pacifiers, you were not a baby. That is when Daddy decided Tuesday, Pat our handyman, who knows the pacifier fairy, would come over and take them to her.  Handyman Pat came over to do some work  that Tuesday as planned and when he walked in you handed him all the pacifiers and he took them all to the pacifier fairy ( the mailbox). Pat didn't know he had this magical role when he was greeted by you and all your pacifiers at the door, but with the wink of an eye he did~( how magical)  since then there has been an occasional thought or memory of woobie but you have moved on...well to green frog  or a yellow bunny or any other stuffed animal at nighty.... Or sometimes old pictures of you and Woobie!

What huge milestones have gone on these past months. All of this while constantly learning and overachieving. Your musical vibe is awesome girl, you have soul. You love having dance parties with Charli and Daddy, watching music videos, seeing live bands and you love to sing. The musical, hairspray, is at the top of your list and I don't think you even blink while watching and singing. You are non- stop with whatever you do and you are always making some kind of noise. We went to Lake Geneva this summer and Danica on the hour and 15 minute ride home you talked and sang who knows what the entire time. I mean the entire time! I don't know if Dad and I were laughing or crying or a little bit of both. I love Frosty the Snowman, and in my life I think I have now heard a version of that song a million times because of you. You love Frosty, Rudolph, and Jingle Bells soooooo much that they were on your 3rd birthday cake for your party! Yep and clouds because you love clouds oh and you wanted fireworks too because you now love fireworks. How things change!!!! Fireworks are another mind over matter for you. You were so afraid of fireworks and the fhunder ( thunder) and now you think they should be an every day event with the flashlights ( lightning). ( oh and the siren for stormy that brings you terror) Overcoming your fear of fireworks made for an awesome 4th of July this year; I wish you could teach Reilly boots the same. (Wink wink)

While you finished up the past school year at Kathy's you showed all of us how ready you were to start school. Everywhere we went people could not believe you were 2 because of how well you could speak and all the things you know and your completely amazing psychomotor skills. Being able to tell people your birth date and also manipulating your age to be able to do things, like saying you are 5 to do things with Charli, definitely put you in a class above the rest.

Your sense of humor is still just beyond. You can laugh at anything and make anyone laugh. One non-laughing matter is you and the term police. Having you keep your belt on in the car has become a challenge so we had to bring in reinforcements and that is where the police come in.  However, this has actually taken on a meaning we did not expect and now you are afraid of the police and you don't like them. OH BOY and to make matters worse when you do something wrong Charli makes siren sounds. SERIOUSLY! With that said we have had you meet fireman and policeman and tried to make friends. We let you know they are your friends and here to help you .... and your response is always " so I don't go to sky." The sky is a hard concept for you or anyone that is 2 years old especially when we have talked about so many people and animals that live in the sky. I am hoping that maybe in Preschool we can get more of a concrete view but for now this is where we are. I  am hoping and praying we have a lot less conversations about the sky and a lot less conversations about police....Ever.... and police don't make you go to sky.

This summer was one of the greatest summers I have ever had mainly because of you and Charli. We had so many awesome things to do,  places to go, and people to see. You took soccer classes, crafting classes, science classes, finished up with TOT rock, took Karate and tumbling, gymnastics, and swim lessons. We rode on Thomas the train and Percy in Union, IL. We went horseback riding, had your face painted, got a caricature, and a spider henna tatoo too!  We did everything every fest could offer! We enjoyed time at all the pools in Palatine and Grandma's pool especially. Wow did we do a lot!

You are your own girl and beat to your own drum and of course any drum you may hear. You are a copy cat of Charli and if she flips, you flip, literally. You are fearless when it comes to the things I want you to fear and you are so physically strong it doesn't seem to matter. The amount of black eyes and bruises you have accumulated this summer I am amazed no one has called  DCFS on us. You are a mack truck and the cutest one I  have  ever seen. You are resilient!

Danica you have the craziest head of hair and refuse to keep in your hair clips or ponytails in your hair and out of your beautiful blue eyes, but when it comes to being fashionable you must match, go figure. That or want to wear everything Charli already has on.....and princess everything including the healed shoes. You are still thinking that if you scream and fake cry you will get your way and for now it is still working. Bad Mom and Dad... hold up let me switch back to apparel... Oh and your swimsuits, we went to the pool so many times and each time your suit would fit right in between your cutest little bunnies. The cutest in the town! You rain outside naked in the summer and told Daddy you were tanning your bunnies!!!! I could talk about your bunnies all day but I will talk about pool days. You jumped in the deep, you swam, you rolled, and you even went down the water slide a couple hundred times and tried to go down the extra huge big kids slide....we found you in the line!!! Danica you are a troublemaker and the cutest one I know. I have to say that with how independent you are sometimes I forget just how fragile you are but there is something that will always  make me remember. You have the most adorable body type and have always had the cutest little legs. I was standing behind you and I leaned over you and saw your legs from a different angle and they just make you smile and then I squeezed them and realized you will always be my little baby!!! It was a moment I will never forget.

You are a bright happy star in everyone's day. We are so blessed to be around you and your captivating light. Even when  something is wrong you still make us laugh, and in the middle of fake crying because you were disciplined you still manage to tell the truth and know what you did was wrong. You are a terrific little tattle tell and when you yell at Charli or she is not listening  you call her Charli Reece!!! You are just so funny all the time.

Speaking of so cute and funny I love this story. Something was going on with your pinky finger, I am not sure how you hurt it or if it was a hang nail, all I know is something was wrong and you kept telling us it was your wiggly wiggly. It was really bothering you and I would move it, I cut your nail but you just kept saying it was wiggly and held it limp. I knew nothing was seriously wrong so we made a wiggly wiggly dance and we would wiggle our whole body in a wave motion and what do you know in a few days you said your wiggly was feeling better. Yeah baby Danica! Our baby baby!

Tangent of babies: you love them, think they are sooooo cute. You want to hold them especially baby Cole you love him. You would be a great big sister that is for sure.

Other funny things that come out of your mouth. Daddy and I were going out, you and Charli were having a sitter, and you asked us where we were going and I told you Daddy was taking me on a date. Your reply, "that's so cute." These replies are hilarious, when Charli does some kind of a project you tell her, "that's awesome Charli." I mean you are such an individual.

Your defiance comes from sneaking a sip of my squirt, going in the refrigerator to get whatever you want, brushing your teeth at all times of the day, putting dog food in Reilly's water dish, riding your bike in flip flops without a helmet... the list goes on and on and with every act of discipline your response, "cuz then I go to the sky?" To which I have to say  NO, because I said so that's why!

You ride your bike so fast, you cruise with Charli in the pink mustang, there is nothing you do that doesn't have intent and that is awesome. Even when you face time with Grandma you say, I'm ma hang you up now" and you push the button! There is no down time with you that is for sure! You are able to send mass texts messages and if we are on the phone with someone you have to be on the phone with someone too!

School is right around the corner for you and we already had meet the teacher. It was so great because you grabbed a baby doll when  we walked in, explored the room, colored a picture, gave your new teacher's hugs and then didn't want to leave. Danica, you are so excited for school and I am so excited for you to go to school because the world you are about to explore in regards to learning is going to be amazing since you are such a sponge!!! Pre-school 3 better watch out  for my my Baby Baby!

I can't even think back about you these past 7  months without smiling, laughing, and shaking my head at the same time. Even with how busy you are you have the gentlest heart. You love people and you love animals. Hold up.......you did not care for ants for a little while but I think ants are our friends now. You think you can just walk up to any duck, squirrel, dog, cat, skunk, and pet them... we are still working on that. I  think you would go to Arlington every day to see the horses! It is your great heart that gives me reassurance we are doing something right. We might not be the best at structure, boundaries,  and sleeping arrangements, yes Daddy and I still fall asleep with you in your bed, but hey you are only 2 once right! Kindness check!

We had your 3rd birthday party at the beginning of August like last year to try to have mother nature cooperate and this year last minute she did! It was a celebration with over 100 people! Pool  party, crafts, Lou's pizza and salad and a party that continued at our new house until 1am! Your parties are always a hit, I think it was the Frosty and Rudolph cake!!!! Actually it's YOU!

You are IT girl. You have the X factor and I am mezmorised by you more and more everyday. I can't even get over how big my heart is knowing you are mine. We are so proud of you and we love you so much honey and are so excited for what the future holds! I cannot wait for our next adventure but I know you will be making us laugh the entire time.

Let me not forget one big detail-------- how cute you are singing Pete the cat and the face you have when you do! I've got my red shoes, I've got my red shoes.....