Our Tiny Grows UP!

It pains me to write this...Madi is our crazy baby. She always has been since her entrance into this world. The girl decided on her own (even IF I was tearing wallpaper down 2 weeks before I was going to give birth) that she was going to come 2 weeks early then planned while her sisters and Daddy were away on a family cruise in Alaska. Their trip was her cue to enter the world.

She has taught us many things. The biggest parenting lesson I've learned from her - nothing she does is on my time. It's on hers. 4 kids later I've learned a few things. Not that I give in easily either but I tend to choose my battles wisely.

She has been enthralled with nail polish. When her big sisters have friends over; it's usually an automatic makeover session included in sleepovers with manicures done by Mommy. No sweat...until I finally let my little one take the plunge into makeover madness.

Her freshly painted magenta fingers on her left hand and toes with blue fingers on the right and yellow thumbs on both hands. She picked out the colors she wanted. I had no say...I let her creativity flow. She sat amazingly still during the process and kept saying "Oooh!"

Afterwards she had hot cocoa in her big girl mug...

and she potties. That's right folks. She got up on the toilet a week ago and went on her own. I swear there was no coaxing (maybe by her dad every time she poo-ed but that's IT!). I know it's just because I said "we'll start potty training in January. December is way too nuts."

Hi, the theme in this post is toddler independence. The girl is so for real when she wants to do something. My big girls and Dev...not so much. They let Mommy lead for the most part. Madi totally leads the way and is definitely learning things her own way. She has no desire to be guided. This makes me indifferent. Although, I love the nature of her personality in all it's independent glory. I see my little one getting bigger and bigger...letting go is my challenge. Wish me luck!