Stephanie is growing and learning at 3 1/2

It is hard to believe that Stephanie is 3 1/2 already. Sometimes she seems like such a big girl like when she says "bye" and goes with her teacher to her classroom and then she has moments where she seems more like she is 2. I am hoping with a new year and with more therapy for her we are going to have a great year and have lots of improvement. She is still working on learning more words and does try and repeat and imitate, all which are good things to have her do. She made progress last year and more since she started school in the fall. Yesterday she had a wonderful day and it was great to have her sweet, happy, fun, goofy self back for a day. As soon as she got up today I could tell it wasn't going to be the same as yesterday. That's not to say she didn't get mad yesterday but she recovered very well when she got mad and those instances were very few. That's how I know she can be good and once she gets the help she needs she show everyone what a wonderful person she can be. So she will be starting more speech later this month. We are going to some additional speech therapy at Marquette University twice a week with the graduate students, they have their work cut out for them. Then she will also do once a week at Children's Hospital. Stephanie has told us that this is going to be a good year for her. We told it needs to be because Emily with be entering the terrible 2s. Oh great, that will be fun.

So these are the great things Stephanie has done this year:

she can understand most everything you tell her

she can identify herself and simple pictures in a book (when she wants to of course)

she can follow more complex directions

she is beginning to understand when she does something wrong there are consequences

she can do her peg puzzles with little help

she learned to jump on the trampoline

she learned to take off her shoes and socks and put them on (just learning the socks now)

she can climb up the ladders on the swing set outside

she learned to sit on a regular swing

she can take her pants and pull ups off and can almost get her pants back on

she moved into a big girl bed

she can get in and out of her car seat herself

she learned to open presents

she goes to school

she learned she hates the snow

she's not sure fo she likes the a big swimming pool

she loved going on vacation with her whole family

she got her first real haircut

she took her first music class

she had her first sleepover at Nanna and Grandpa's house (and did well)

her vocabulary has blossomed to over 20 words:
dada
ni night
uh-oh
more
please
thank you
all done
cheetah
trick or treat
hi
bye
Santa
Christmas tree
juice
taco
treat
teeth
out/help (they sound the same but used in different context, makes it a little hard)
shoe
school
go
snow
cheese
ya

Not all these words are totally clear but she is trying and right now that is all we are looking for. A lot of what she accomplished may not seem right for a 3 year old but she is making progress and trying and that we want her to do. We know she is stubborn and strong willed but we know she can do these things are we are going to do everything we can to help her succeed. Here's to a great 2009 for you Stephanie. Keep up the great work.