41 months old

If Emily is 41 months old does that mean she's over the toddler hill?!? ;o)  It's hard to believe we began the month with over a foot of snow on the ground and are ending the month with temperatures near 80 degrees.  In between it has been another month of growth and laughable moments.  Here are some of the highlights:

• Emily is quite opinionated and has some unique descriptions of things sometimes.  She started out the month labeling anything that was offensive to her as "blechy" in an ultra-guttural way that often included spit flying out of her mouth.  Then everything was "blither".  Now everything is "shovey".  What those last two words exactly mean I still haven't quite figured out.  It changes depending on the situation.
• Emily has actually started to be quite helpful with Lincoln at times (but only when she wants to be).  She loves picking out bibs for him and putting them on (him not her).  She often chooses his outfit, although I have veto power.  She sometimes helps feed him a snack in the van by handing him pieces of cereal one by one.  Once she even grabbed the diaper bag on her own, dug out his sippy cup of water and handed it to him when he was a bit fussy while I was driving down the road.  She usually refers to Lincoln as "Buddy".
• Emily has started naming a few of her stuffed animals/dolls something other than the super-creative "Bear", "Girl", "Baby", "Princess", "Rabbit", etc.  She has one pink rabbit that is named "Jacie" (Jay-cee).  There is a girl in her Sunday School class by that name and I think they're friends.
• I recently found out that one of the boys in her Sunday School class can't remember her name but always refers to her as "the girl with the dancing dresses." :o)
• Emily definitely recognizes when there are words printed somewhere and insists that you read something on the cover and title page of books or she'll make you go back.  She recognizes her name whenever she sees it in print and knows how to spell it.  If you ask her what her name is she'll say, "E-M-I-L-Y 'renzen."  We were baking with M&M's the other day and she said, "Look, Mommy!  It's 'E' for Emily!" :o)
• One skill Emily has been interested in practicing lately is cutting with a knife, albeit a miniature knife from the kids' silverware set.  She insists on setting out butter knives for everyone at every meal whether they are needed or not.  
• At the beginning of the month Emily abruptly "moved out" of our master bathroom and "moved in" to the newly renovated half bathroom as her potty of choice.  Other than the towel ring incident it has been nice.  We were getting sick of constantly having to move the potty ring and tripping over the step stool, not to mention her basket of books.
• After some very frustrating streaks, Emily has been doing terrific on the potty for the last several days.  Just today she had a successful trip to a public restroom (Fazoli's) for the first time ever.  I hope I don't jinx it!
• Emily & Lincoln started taking baths together this month.  It has become a great time-saver and is a good place to learn lessons about sharing and being careful around other people.  For the most part Emily does very well.  One funny quirk Emily has had in the past is been totally against lotion.  Her poor hands were so red, dry and rough over the winter it made me cringe.  If I ever did get some on her she immediately tried to scrub it off with a towel or blow it off.  Within the last week she has abruptly changed her mind and now lathers it on--all by herself, of course.  Then she wonders why she has a hard time getting dressed afterwards!
• Austin taught Emily how to fold laundry the other night.  She's very good at washcloths, towels and underwear. :o)

The March pictures are uploaded to Winkflash and the video player is below.  There will be some more pictures  and videos uploaded after tomorrow.