Sienna: All Things Girl

Up until recently, I thought Sienna was going to be my tomboy.  She can throw a ball fast, straight, and strong, she will jump off of anything higher than her with no fear, and she wants to get her hands into and onto anything and everthing she comes across.  In the last 6 months or so, however, SiSi has been very into all things "girl."  She wants to wear Finley's old dance costume just about every day (including on the day Finley actually had her recital) and when she wears it, she likes to prance around with a wand and yell "Abra Kazaammmm!"  At Finley's recital, she got to go backstage and get full stage make-up by her big cousin, Sadie.  I didn't think she'd leave!  And, the San Frannies came to visit over the 4th of July and Sienna and Finley played "Beauty School" on them for almost 30 minutes (I didn't hear any complaining from Paige and Natalie).  And through all this girlie activity, there is one thing I know for sure:  Sienna will be a dancer.  Just mark my words (and this is not me projecting!).

Swimming Lessons, Dressing Herself, and Watching it Grow

This is what you get when a 2-year-old decides to dress herself - inside out and backward pants.

 Sienna started swimming lessons on Monday.  She wore Finley's old swimsuit that looks like a ballerina tutu and she was so excited to go to the swimming pool she danced around the living room twirling and ran up and down the hallway doing leaps before we left.  She had to go with Daddy because she's 2, but her teacher told Daddy she was too advanced for the class.  While the rest of the kids floated around with their moms and dads, Sienna spent the time jumping in off the side of the pool, chasing diving toys, and playing with the teacher.  She is going to start classes by herself as soon as the class opens up in May.

For my birthday, my Teaching Assistant, Steven, gave me a grow your own poppy kit.  Finley and I planted the seeds and put it on the window to let it grow.  I came into the kitchen a little later and Sienna was sitting in a chair staring at the pot.  I asked her what she was doing and she told me she was "Watching it grow!"

Not a Good Choice!

Today, SiSi sat on the potty for a very long while because I told her she couldn't wear underpants until she learned how to use the big-girl potty.  As she sat there, she told me she had a secret and proceeded to whisper nothing in my ear.  Then, she told me she had "trinkled," but unfortunately she actually hadn't.  I told her we could put a pull-up on since she sat on the potty for so long so we went into her room to get one.  When we saw her empty bed, she proclaimed, "Hey!  Where'd my stuffies go?"  I told her I didn't know and she said, "Daddy took them.  That was not a good choice!"

Sienna Knows Her Letters and Sounds

This is all I could catch of Sienna's new trick, but she impressed me last night while we were watching Eloise.  They were playing with the letters on the refrigerator and Sienna started taking each letter and saying it out loud, followed by the sound the letter makes.  Every once in awhile, she'd throw in a word that starts with that letter.  It was absolutely adorable and I can take absolutely no credit for her knowledge.  I'm guessing her wonderful teachers at Kids Count have been working their magic, just as they did with Finners.

World's Worst Blogger Finally Updates Sienna's Page (with old photos, of course)!

In the last two weeks, Sienna went from being a goofy little toddler to being a real big girl!  Unfortunately, that does not mean she is going potty on the big-girl potty, but it does mean that she has started showing her personality in full force.  Her new self made it's first appearance at bedtime one night.  She told me a very long and detailed story about a princess who lived in a big pink castle and she wore pink and purple and green and there was a dragon - a BIG dragon - that lived in a bush with strawberries and peppers and 'maters!  Sienna's big-girl self also now decides exactly what she wants to wear and when.  She apparently does not like jeans and, in fact, prefers jeggings which she will tell you over and over if you try to get her in said jeans.  On the way home from school one day, Sienna asked her sister, "Finley, what's kindergarten?" and patiently waited for a reply.  She can count to ten in Spanish (I'm sure Dora taught her that) and while she's wandering around the house, you might be lucky enough to hear her sing the Johnny Appleseed Song or B-I-N-G-O!  Last night, Sienna was really big as she played house with Ninny.  She told us her name was Lily and she was 29 (later she told us she was 100).  And don't worry, she's old enough now to choose her own bedtime, which is usually long after her father falls asleep waiting for her to.  Once a stinker, always a stinker!

Sienna, Scared of Santa

 

Santa came to Kids Count and all the children were very excited to sit in his lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas...except for SiSi.  Cam showed me all the adorable pictures of the employee's children smiling at Santa, telling him their wishes, or at the very least, sitting uninterested in his lap, like Eloise!   Our little scaredy cat wouldn't go near him, even after he gave her a puppy and a candy cane.  How cute is that!?

 

 

Happy Halloween!

SiSi's Halloween almost got stifled by a nasty case of strep throat!  Luckily, Daddy and Sienna got on meds in time to enjoy the festive day.  Funny enough, Sienna's Halloween costume wasn't that different from her daily wear, since she is thoroughly obsessed with "pretty" skirts and dresses and has a definite opinion about what she wants to wear (and we are very glad that we are getting more wear out of Finley's old dance costume!).