Faith August - 2 Years, 7 Months

Faith is very nurturing and loving; she doesn't like anyone crying or having owies.  Her goal in life is to make Rebekah laugh and I just love that.  We've had some sharing issues and first time obedience is beginning to decline so I need to work on those things. 

Eating:

The amount that Faith eats at each meal has certainly diminished; though she still loves food, she just doesn't love as much of it.  She continues to eat well and I have started allowing her to take sips of my V8 and coffee at breakfast, both of which she really enjoys. 

Sleeping:

We were working on nighttime potty training most of this month and that really wreaked havoc with Faith's nighttime sleep.  After she stopped wearing diapers at nap time last month Faith asked if she could wear panties at night as well.  So, we started a sticker chart and I began waking her up before I went to bed to take her to the bathroom.  It started out really well and the waking her up at 10 or 11pm didn't affect her much at all and she was waking with a dry diaper.  About 2 weeks into it though she began waking again a few hours after I would wake her when I went to bed.  I would take her potty during the second wake up but she didn't always have to go.  Eventually the 2am wake up ended and she started waking at 6am and then not going back to sleep.  So, I was interrupting her sleep and she wasn't getting enough of it which led to a cranky kiddo and a tired Mama.  So, I decided we were done with nighttime potty training.  Her sleep got immediately better and we've still had several days of dry diapers!  On a humorous note, one day I was talking with Frank on the phone and Faith walked in to hear me tell him "I am so proud of you."  Faith pipped up with "Did Daddy have a dry diaper?"  It was hilarious! 

Skills:

Faith speaks incredibly well.  She has a huge vocabulary and her grammar is nearly flawless.  She does say "Rebekah and me" rather than "Rebekah and I" and she uses "got" occasionally when she should use "have" but I have met many adults who don't speak English as well as Faith.  She continues to love being read to but now she has started holding her own book and pretending to read while I am reading to her and Rebekah, repeating the last word or phrase that I say on each page. 

Play:
Faith's imagination play has really taken off this month.  She has played mama to her dolly for a year now but she has started really enjoying solo play because her imagination has just taken off!  She really enjoys her wooden doll family and puts them in her shoes which act as cars for the family members.  She also spends a lot of time "reading" and I am always amazed by the book she chooses from the library to just love that period, it is always something to do with babies or small animals.  It is sweet.  I got the girls an early Christmas present, a  Little Tikes School Bus Activity Gym.  I thought the slide would be the biggest hit in this toy but Faith really enjoys "driving" places as well, armed with her purse, books, and Dolly of course.  She drives everywhere, the swimming pool, the commissary, church, St Louise, Salt Lake, the med center, and (thanks to my dad for teaching her this one) the liquor store!



 

Our Schedule:

0800 - Wake up, get ready, breakfast

0900 - Sister play, free play (or errands and outdoor time), if we aren't running around I try to work in craft and chore here as well

1200 - Lunch, then whatever we didn't do in the morning (i.e., free play or outdoor time)

1415 - Nap (somedays it takes her a long time to fall asleep somedays not)

1630 - She is usually up by this time, although somedays I do let her sleep a few minutes later.  Snack, free play, solo play

1800 - Dinner, reading, bath, bedtime o/a 2001