Another Month with Jane

Jane's personality has really blossomed this month and we are loving it! All of a sudden she likes to be goofy. She makes up songs and sings at the top of her lungs, she makes up words and then asks me to say them, and she likes to talk in lots of silly voices but then tells us it's "not funny" when we laugh at her. But then she'll laugh. She's also learned that asking "What?" in an innocent voice can be quite funny when used at the right time. One time I was trying to show her that I was disappointed in something naughty she had done and she kept saying "What?" until I laughed. Then she was happy and said, "Mommy's not mad!" Another time Matt went to retrieve her from time-out and was trying to discuss it with her and get her to apologize. She used the same trick until Matt was cracking up.

Speaking of "what" words Jane is beginning to use the phrase, "Guess what?" Only she doesn't like it when you say "What?" in return. It took several of the following circular conversations before realizing that. "Guess what?" "What?" "No what." "What?" "No what!" Then she'd gain composure and try again, "Guess what?" I finally figured out what my role in the conversation should be: sit and listen.

So one day Jane came home after playing with her cousin Max. He's 3, almost 4, and according to him it is very important to include he is 3 AND A HALF. He must have passed on his wisdom to Jane because after bringing her home she said to us, "Guess what? I'm 2 and a half."

Sharon told me a really funny conversation she overheard Max and Jane having. Max had gotten Jane to go down into the basement to play with him but when they got down there Jane decided that she was scared. So she kept telling Max, "I'm scared." So Max started going back upstairs with her but Jane kept saying "I'm scared. I want to hold you." (still confusing some pronouns). Max was a little confused at first then said, "You want me to hold you?" Jane answered in the affirmative and Max explained, "Okay, but I'm not big enough to hold you on the stairs but I can hold you when we get upstairs."

As mentioned, Jane is into singing and making up songs. She even goes so far as to put on a dress-up dress and shoes, stand on a table, and belt out her tune. I'm wondering if she didn't get the idea from watching the shows on the cruise ship. Lately I have heard such lyrics as, "I need milk." "I'm singing a song." "Oh my gosh song" "I wanna see the marinara" and "American Idol." Jane is also getting really good at singing a variety of real songs. But I noticed that when she sings "I am a Child of God" she sings the following line: "with Paris kind and dear." I asked her what it said and she started talking about her cousin Paris.


Jane also seems to have gotten taller this month. In fact, it seemed to happen overnight. I went to get her from bed and she was standing up. She looked so tall to me and even her hair seemed to have gotten longer overnight. Before I said anything Jane noticed too! She looked down at herself and said, "Jane's big!" And from then on the front of her hair is actually starting to get into her eyes. She's always rubbing them off her forehead saying, "Hair's bothering you!" (the pronouns...)

I've been having flash-forwards on Sunday mornings to when Jane becomes a teenager. The last few Saturday nights I have explained to Jane that we'll be going to church and to Sharon's house tomorrow. So on Sunday mornings Jane has been begging, "No church! Go to Sharon's house." But she redeemed herself this fast and testimony meeting. After seeing people bear their testimony, she said "Jane have a turn?"

Speaking of tomorrow's, Jane very much likes to hear what we will be doing tomorrow before she goes to sleep. It's always helpful if we actually have plans because she seems happier going to bed if she knows there is something to look forward to. On other nights she'll ask for things like, "See howler monkey's tomorrow?" "Go to Sharon's house tomorrow?" "Go on big boat tomorrow?" It's always a precarious emotional time for Jane so I can't tell her we won't, but I also try not to lie to her. So I end up saying things like, "Oooh, that would be fun, huh?" So far she hasn't called me on it the next day.

One time Jane and I were getting ready to run errands. I was putting some shoes on her and she was complaining that she didn't like them and didn't want to wear them. I said, "Well these are the shoes you have to wear if you want to go to the pet store to see the birds and fish." She quickly changed her tune, "Oooh, shoes so pretty!"

In Jane's nursery class at church she has a Colombian teacher who doesn't speak much English. She has taught the kids a few words. So Jane began greeting people when we were out with "Hola" and "Hola, princess." It only happens every now and then. I started paying attention to who she would say it to and was shocked to realize that she was only saying it to people who looked like her nursery teacher (i.e., Latinos and swarthy white people).

The concept of minutes is becoming more and more important in this house. Every transition becomes a haggling session over how soon it will take place. "Ten more minutes." "One minute." "Five minutes."

Jane's cheap little plastic horn broke into two pieces and Jane brought it to me and said, "Horn needs batteries."

For as long as I can remember (okay not that long) Jane has been very into labeling hers and others' emotions. It is the cutest thing when she gets hurt and cries for a couple minutes. Then she will announce with enthusiasm, "I'm happy now!" Unfortunately she almost always notices the slightest variation in my tone and will exclaim, "Don't be mad!" And remarkably just this very moment Jane came to me and said, "Colored on the door. Mommy's mad." Sure enough there's marker on the door and Jane has put herself into her bedroom. (But I'm secretly not very mad because they're washable and wipe right off).

Jane also gets very concerned when other people seem sad. And when she doesn't know the reason she almost always explains that the person is sad because they "have rash." And if someone on TV is sad, she goes up to the screen and tries to comfort them by putting her hands on their face or hugging the screen. She's had to comfort a lot of American Idol contestants.

One day Jane spent hours in the laundry hamper. I even had to feed her kiwi's while she was in there.