Pumpkin Patch

I've said it before, but it needs to be said again, Alexis is definitely a child of all her own! She doesn't want your help, she wants to do it all her own, no matter what it is. She is most interested in animals and going outside. So, when we are outside, she doesn't want to smile, all she wants to do is explore! So, the pumpkin patch was like her little oyster!! She wanted to play in the dirt, play with the straw and move the pumpkins all around! The last thing she wanted to do was sit there and pose.

I can't believe how much she has learned lately and how much she has started to "talk". She has been eating with a fork for at least two months, so I've tried to introduce a bowl or plate, but she would rather bang it on the table. So, we will just keep trying. She is now wanting to sit at the table, without her booster chair, but unfortunately, she knows how to NOT follow directions and she refuses to sit down. She follows directions so well; if you ask her to take something to Daddy or get Willie's toy, she walks right over and does what you ask. She knows to go to her bathroom at bath time and go to her room or go to Mommy's room. On the downside of that, she also knows what is wrong and she thinks it is hilarious when she DOESN'T follow directions. She gets this evil look in her eye and a smirk on her face when she is disobeying you. Having said that, time out is in full force at the Mannion house. Unfortunately, for the first few seconds she thinks it's cute to sit in her timeout chair. She learns quickly that I'm not letting her up and the crocodile tears start to fall.

She doesn't have a huge vocabulary, but I truly think that is because she is just too stubborn and doesn't want to do what you want her to. We've been saying our bedtime prayers for as long as I can remember. A couple weeks ago, right as I was getting ready to say, "Amen," she said it with me! My heart just melted! So, now she says it every night. But, I can't get her to say it without saying her prayers! Everything is called "doggy" and she knows bye bye, thank you, Da Da, momma and we've heard an occasional Mimi and Papa. I think she might be trying to call Donna NaNa, but we aren't too sure. I just love to hear thank you every time I hand her something. It is so natural and polite. But, if you try to get her to say please, she just smiles! I've been working on that since MAY and I still can't get her to say it!