From the Mouth of Ella and is this Puppy Love?

Ella was loud and sassy the other day, and I said to her, teasing her back, "Ella, you have a big mouth!  Where did you get that from?"

Without batting an eyelash she snapped back, "I got it from YOU!"

Awwwww! Shucks!   

Today the heavens opened and smiled upon me when another mom took the twins home from preschool with her son and fed them then let them have a play day at her house.  The other mom and I hatched the plan last night and upon hanging up, my eavesdropping twins could hardly wait to hear the plan.  Ella, putting her hands on her hips said, "Did you leave enough time for me to play with "J.T." after we eat our lunch?" 

Hell yes I did.  I have 200 more pages of reading and papers to write before class tonight, I took all the time I could get.   

When I arrived and asked for a status report it was all positive -- no fighting, no crying or whining or obstinance, they used their manners...and as I walked up to the door I could see "J.T." giving Sophia a big hug good-bye.  He also made her a picture -- one of many of his that adorns our walls....

"J.T." and Sophia as drawn by "J.T."

When we got home I asked, "Why are you girls so awesome today?"

"Because we love you, mom!"

I've been using some new techniques I am learning in my parent coaching cert class and while it is intended to help with "intense" or "challenging" children, it's making a difference here at our house, too. 

Well, and a fun, relaxed play date never hurts anything.  From outside the van I could hear Ella's "WOOO HOOO!" as she released all of her happy energy onto the rest of us as we began to leave "J.T.'s" house.  Thank goodness for all these little preschool friends and their moms (and dad) who have been exchanging play dates with us.  What a sweet time in the girls lives as they really blossom their social side and start befriending all these other kids.  And their friendships are so sweet, they bring home drawings from other kids at school who made them pictures, they discuss their lives together, compare war stories such as the following, which Sophia processed with me the other day,

"Mom.  Amy told me that when her mommy has to do something at home that she plays by herself."

"Wow," I said.  "How did you feel when you heard that?"

"I was pretty impressed," said Sophia -- who has been working on playing WITHOUT mommy -- good lord this is a struggle for us. 

But just that little conversation seemed to awaken in Sophia an "ah ha" type moment that other kids are asked to be independent and it's not just mommy being "mean," as she once told me. 

Andi attended an open gym nearby while the twins went to preschool.  Andi avoided all the other toddlers and sought out one of the few preschoolers and played with her for over an hour.  Andi is used to running with the big dogs and, I guess, considers herself one of them versus "a baby."

I love watching children engage with each other and the world...I could sit and do it all day.  Too bad there isn't a paid job for that...

Miss Sassy Pants and Sophia at the MOA visiting Olivia the Pig