Josie Learning to Pose & Other Miraculous Feats!

Yesterday, while performing our daily walkabout of the yard, Josie surprised me. She sat on the steps to the deck, struck a pose and said, "Camera, Mom - Cheese!" I ran for the camera and obliged her. Finally, after a year of pointing the camera at her, she's catching on!! This episode reminded me that I had promised an update on Josie's amazing progress, so here it is:

At 2 years and two months old Josie is achieving her developmental milestones at a quick pace. Her vocabulary is astounding - she uses words like 'wheelbarrow', 'delicious', 'scrub', and 'water'. I think these words are pretty hard to pronounce and she does a great job.

She tells 'knock, knock' jokes then says "Funny, Mom" with a giggle.

On our recent visit to my parents house, when my Dad went in to take a shower, she ran up to my Mom and said, "Grandmom, PopPop's missing!!"

She does 'clean-up' while singing.

She is constantly offering "Josie help? Mom". She is a terrific helper. She helps make her breakfast by holding the egg, pushes down the toaster bar for her morning toast, and puts on her own salt & pepper.

She talks to her GungGung & MaMa on the phone every weekend and says "Miss You" and "Luv You".

She sleeps in a 'big girl' bed. The crib came down last month.

During our bedtime reading, she takes the books from me and says, "Josie read it, Mom" and proceeds to give me her interpretation of the story.

She counts to 10 in English and Spanish (thanks to Dora the Explorer and big sister Maddie!)

She has about a 20 word Spanish vocabulary. She says hello and thank you in Chinese.

She has excellent manners: She says, 'please', 'thank you', ' You're welcome';'God Bless You', 'Excuse me' (when she burps!) and 'sorry' (if she makes a mess or spills something.)

She clearly states her preferences in all things: "Don't like it, Mom"; "Scary, Mom"; "Luv it!"; and "Do it Again"

She knows her shapes: square, star, triangle, circle, diamond, rectangle and oval. She can say all of them and frequently points them out to me in stores, around the house and in her books.

She knows her colors: red, yellow, blue, pink, green, peach, black, brown, white and orange. She will also point these out to me and ask for specific colors when we are coloring together.

She is picky & neat: She will point out a crumb that has fallen when she's eating and wait until it's cleaned up to continue eating (this is why it takes 45 minutes for her to eat lunch!). She doesn't like dirty hands (which makes gardening a bit difficult!) and when her clothes get dirty she'll say "Change it, Mom". She will NOT walk barefoot in the grass!

And, finally, my two favorite Josie traits: (1) She sings. And sings, and sings!!! She knows the words to 'Twinkle, Twinkle little star', 'Itsy Bitsy Spider', 'Rockabye Baby', and the songs on her Mickey Mouse Clubhouse CD.

(2) Before going to sleep she holds hands and says "Luv you, Mom". Heaven!