"I can DO it"

I've mentioned my nearly four and a half year old daughter, "The Little One", a few times here but I thought a post ABOUT her would be fun. Well, maybe not fun, but I don't have any ideas today and I was just thinking of her.

Proud parents will always say how smart and bright their child is. Of course, I'm no different. I DO wonder if someone out there says, "Little Jimmy? Yeah, he's a good boy, but not the sharpest tack in the drawer". They can't ALL be smart, can they?. Anyway, I hear from her teachers and relatives and others that after a conversation with her they can't believe how smart she is or the words she uses. At four she had already met all her criteria for kindergarten, academically and socially, but doesn't start until September.

Evidently, she's a very vocal and precocious little girl who is better when others are around than for JUST mommy and daddy. Although, at times she has a slight stutter - which we're about to begin services for - the outlook is good. She uses adult phrases and words constantly and in context. She has a knack, kind of like me, for remembering lines from movies. However, packaged with her apparent intelligence and vocalization comes stubbornness and manipulation.

Case in point; this morning she was VERY difficult. Maybe she didn't' sleep enough or feel well or the cold rain is getting to her. I asked her to help me help her get dressed. "I can't do it!!" is her reply. Then she half-heartedly attempts it only when asked. Of course, the other week she did it just fine to make us "proud", as she said. I ask her to start brushing her teeth but before I can paste her brush, "I CAN DO IT!!!". Great. I let her. She does an ok job so I ask her to start her teeth (I finish them after to make sure at thorough job is done) and I get "I don't know how". Of course she does. Then I threaten her to at least start and she flicks a tooth for a second. "No, you can do better than that". Her answer is "No I can't" Next its "Little One make sure you go potty". She responds, "I don't know where the bathroom is" or "I need you to get the toilet paper".

ARGH!!

Her "pain in the ass mood" seems directly proportionate to how late we're running.

Other times, I'll ask her to do something and get, "Ok daddy!" She does it. No problems. Unfortunately, I think her agreeableness is about 50/50.

Double ARGH!! Why can't she do this all the time?

Of course, Mrs. B and I like that she's independent and a bit stubborn. Not bad traits to have as she moves into young womanhood and adulthood. But when she plays "Miss-Dependence" it drives us nuts!

Then she'll say something funny or cute and my frustration TOTALLY disappears.

And she's growing up fast. Her favorite song now is that sampled Supertramp one by Gym Class Heroes...."Take a Look at My Girlfriend....". Thinks its hysterical and I can't turn the volume up enough when its on.

In other areas, she has NEVER really napped much, even as a baby. In school she is allowed to sit and read while all the other kids nap. Then she's very likely to still be up at 11:30 at night watching a movie as Mrs. B and I sleep.

And she sleeps in our bed. I know, I know.....I don't want to hear it.

Lastly, and I may have mentioned this before, she has excellent balance and coordination. She seemingly NEVER falls down or off anything. VERY rarely hurts herself while her cousins and friends are bruised and battered and broken and stitched.

Oh, and she's CUTE AS HELL! Everyone agrees on that -- not just her parents.


** updated maybe 6 hours later -- pretty boring post, I'll try to do better. I know I can **