Hoss-Grappers and Smugs

I've been feeling a bit nostalgic about my baby, I mean, my "big girl" going off to preschool this last week. She has been my buddy, just the two of us all day long, and I can't think of her without smiling. I love this age so much, and I wish I could just freeze time. Avery can't decide whether she's a big girl or not- depends on what we're talking about. Whenever I accidentally call her my baby, she says "I NOT a baby, I'm a big girl!" But when I ask her if she'd like to try and go pee-pee in the potty, she says "I NOT a big- girl, I wear DIAPERS!!" And she's proud of those diapers! What's a mom to do? I admit, I am being lazy about potty training her, but she's my baby!

The thing I love about this age is the language. Every day she tries out new words that she's heard and then makes up some of her own. Her use of pronouns cracks me up- "What him name?" or, "What her doing?" She's got all of us referring to grasshoppers as "hoss-grappers", and you'll see a picture of a "smug" later on. And she's constantly using inappropriate words to see what kind of reaction she'll get. ("smell my poo-poo" , "you a tooter", you get the idea . . . .)

But mostly, she is the most easy going, spontaneous, cooperative, confident kid who is willing to try anything and she makes my life easier for it. Her favorite book right now is Dr. Suess' "Oh the Places You'll Go", and I can't help thinking about the lines in that book as she jumps into her new preschool adventure . . . .
You're off to great places, today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!

She wanted a picture of her "getting in the car" to go to preschool. What a nut.

This is her mouse friend named "Bissy" that her teacher told her to bring the first day and then they read a book called "If you take a mouse to school . . . . "

Here's her preschool!! It's a good thing she LOVES to have her picture taken, because I am the mom that won't stop taking pictures to let her go to school.