As you can see Shayla was more involved in her show than saying Hello, but I thought we'd send a Hello anyway. :) ..."Hello!"
There comes that day in the lives of a toddler's parents when your little one decides to get up and start their day on their own. I'm sure that the timing varies a fair amount on this depending on the toddler, the parents, the household rules, etcetera. We opened the door for this a little while back when we told our daughter Shayla (3 1/2 y.o.) that she was more than welcome to take herself to the potty in the middle of the night if and when she had to go. Previous to this she would just call out until we came to get her. Of course once 'the going and the wiping' is a skill seen from the rear view mirror there's no reason why one can't help oneself, literally. She always has the option to call if she really needs us and I'm there in a flash. Today, I awaken to the sound of a kiddie program and I walk out to find Shayla up and contentedly watching one of her programs while sitting squarely on the couch. Frankly, I was surprised as she usually wakes me up if I'm not already awake when she rises. On the one hand, it was not a big event, but on another it really marks the passage of time. Right before my eyes, my child continues to grow and develop. She can already get her own apple, banana, or orange for breakfast. She doesn't even need me to hand that to her anymore. How do I feel about that? Hmmm. .....I'm not exactly sure. ...Yay? (chuckle, chuckle)