What is Cecelia up to these days?

**I started this post on Friday night and it got a little long, just a disclaimer**

Well right now she is outside helping daddy put up a tent in the yard for their first night sleeping outdoors. Mommy and Elie will be inside while Daddy tries to get some sleep with Cecelia. We will see how the night ends up. Of course the night will start with roasting some marshmallows, you can't have a camp out without smores. (Funny story, I was just outside with them and Cecelia was roasting marshmallows with daddy when she said "I need some sunscreen this is too hot") Besides the new adventure of sleeping under the stars, Cecelia is just a new adventure in herself these days. We are never sure what is going to come out of her mouth. Her vocabulary is constantly increasing. She tells us many stories which come from past events, books we have read or movies we have watched. Just the other day she was "reading" a pamphlet at the verizon store while waiting for services and she started telling the story of the Very Hungry Caterpillar except the caterpillar was pooh and piglet. Last night we were laying in bed and she said that we could each read our own books. I had If You Give a Moose a Muffin and she was reading A Dark, Dark Night, two books we checked out from the library. I sat looking at my book listening to Cecelia read out loud her book. It amazed me the amount of the book she remember just from looking at the pictures on the page. During the day she recites stories from books we have read while driving in the car or sitting at the table. She loves to read books and I believe she could sit and be read to all day. She also likes to sing and has started to change the words around in songs to make it funny. She definitely gets this from her dad who is known for changing the lyrics of songs. Cecelia definitely is a ball of energy but can just as quickly change to a cuddlier. She still loves to be held and we hear the words "Hold me" quite often, especially after just waking up. It is hard to not hold her and cuddle knowing that this will fade with age.

Independent, a word that most definitely describes Cecelia. I can not count the amount of times I hear her say, I want to do it, Can I do it, no no by myself. It is a great thing and a bad thing. A bad thing when we are running late and she has to put her shoes on by herself. A great thing when I can give her some clothes and she gets dressed while I do other things. A great thing when she can go to the bathroom by herself a bad thing when she will only go to the bathroom in public places when she can go into the stall by herself and even locks the door behind her. The best is that she loves to take showers, by herself, and even washes her body and hair. She uses the loofah, or loofkoof as Cecelia calls it. We have allowed her much independence as she has grown. Given her choices in what she wants to eat, which outfit she wears and even a drawer of play clothes that she can get dressed from when we are staying at home. I love watching her be an independent child and pray that this independence continues to grow as she does.

Potty Training has/is an interesting part of parenting. About a month or so ago I decided to take Cecelia to pick out new undies for herself and then from that day on we would do undies only during the day. We had been doing undies at home but never out of the house. I knew we had to try it sometime. Since then it has been hit or miss. She can do very well and go a whole day with no accidents and then the next day be a complete day of accidents. Thinking that maybe the pullups at nap and bedtime were hindering the process we tried no pullups at nap time and to my surprise she stayed dried and has for a few weeks now during nap time. Last week we decided to try no pullup at night time and were surprised to hear Cecelia up at 3:30a using the potty and then going to bed and woke in the morning dry. This happened for a few nights of waking up dry we were amazed. Then the dry streak broke and I got tired of doing laundry so we are back to pullups again at night. We are also at a point of more accidents throughout the day. I have heard that many children have this where they are doing great and then have a little set back. We will take it one step at a time.

What else about this crazy girl. Cecelia likes to introduce us to people. When asked her name she says Celia (yes celia, not cecelia) Leigh Kubizna and this is my sister Eloise and my mommy Jodi and Daddy Trey, (that is how we were introduced at the restaurant the other day). She can be silly and entertaining when she wants but ultra-sensitive at the same time. It kills me how I can get mad at her and send her to time out and she doesn't show a bit of emotion but when you say something like be careful that might break she walks away and cries as if her feelings are hurt. That is something crazy too. When she is sad or hurt she walks away or to another room and gets sad. She doesn't want to be consoled or held. It really kind of breaks your heart to watch her sometimes.

Cecelia is such a joy in our lives and we cherish everyday with her. I am very glad that I have been able to stay home with her. Even on the worst of days I would not give up the time I am spending watching her grow and learn and being able to feel I am a major part of who she is becoming. I know these days will go by too fast. I already look back at six or so months ago and see a completely different girl. WE LOVE YOU CECELIA LEIGH KUBIZNA.

The Many Face of Cecelia

Happy

Sad

Silly

Surprised

Thinking