The name,
Chloe, means
blooming, and she truly is. Each day she is growing and becoming more of a big girl. The road we've traveled with this child of ours hasn't been easy, but as I think over some of her recent changes I see that our world is opening up -- blooming right before our eyes.
*She doesn't scream as her first reaction to Evan's teasing anymore -- she uses actual words!!
*She stopped saying "ratherize" and now says "otherwise" -- we were actually saddened by this because it was so very cute and she said it all the time. Her only baby-ish word left is "sawn" (as in "I haven't sawn this one before").
*She carefully chops her own apples slices into chunks with the sharp knife.
*She sets the table for dinner.
*She makes efforts to change things we ask her to (for example not poking her elbows into us when she climbs on for a cuddle -- she now climbs up carefully and says,"I didn't poke you with my elbows!") and she is so proud when she remembers.
*She brushes her own teeth in the morning and takes a turn with mom or dad helping at night without fighting at all. (oh, the years and years of fighting over this are finally over!)
*She grabs the tiny broom and dustpan when she sees crumbs or a pile of dirt on the kitchen floor.
*She flies down the sidewalk on her bike, keeping pace with her speedy brother, laughing and goofing together as they cruise along side by side. No more need to yell "Wait!! Evan!!! Wait!!!!!" all the way down the block.
*She cleans up messes when she hears me mumble "It's getting really cluttered in here...." When I walk back into the room she'll announce, "I cleaned up for you Mom!"
*She accepts no for an answer without incessantly protesting and filibustering and whining until I think my brain with implode. Now, more often than not, she'll say ok or make a counter-offer or discuss it with me. This is groundbreaking, I tell you.
*She, who has never been much interested in letters or reading or words, wrote her own name yesterday for the first time without tracing over dotted lines I usually make for her. She asked me what the letters looked like and then just did it.
She is blooming :-)
