"Cinderelly, Cinderelly, Night and Day it's Cinderelly"

If you didn't get it, that is a quote from a song that mice sing in Disney's Cinderella. The only difference is in the movie, it is Cinderella who is kept busy. In real life, it is Cinderella who keeps me busy.
Cinderella is the queen in our household. At least she thinks she is. What she says, usually goes. The only catch is now there is a king too. She's not sure she wants to share the power.
Cinderella is very smart. She may be average for an almost 3 year old, but to me, it always amazes me what she comes out with and what she can do. She can count past 10. She knows her colors, even though she sometimes gets tripped up over black, brown, and purple. She knows her shapes. At least the basic ones. Square, triangle, star, heart, rectangle, circle, arrow. She even knows that a square is a rectangle too.
Cinderella, loves to sing. She can sing pretty much any Disney song that is on the "Classic Disney" CD's. She loves to sing Old McDonald or as she calls it "Mickey and Donald". Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Row Row Row your boat, ABC's, Follow the Prophet, Book of Mormon Stories, I am a Child of God, Families Can Be Together Forever, and other countless primary songs are all part of her regular song choices.
Cinderella loves to dress herself. She picks her own clothes. They don't always match, but that is OK. She is become quite independent. Now if only we could get her to use the potty.

A is for attitude

Which if any of you have ever had a two year old, I 'm sure you know all about attitude. She thinks she knows everything. She is a born leader, and domineering. She has strong opinions and throws a world class fit if you try to go against them. Whether it is leaving someones house, or some other play place to go home, or saying no to watching a movie, or getting a snack.
I think tantrums are a way that two-year-olds try to remind you that they are only two. They don't understand things on an adult level, or even an older child level, even if they come across as very mature at times.
However, I've found that even five-month-olds can have a strong attitude. And if I forget myself and allow a willful attitude on my part, we just never get anywhere.

However there is another side to attitude too. There is a positive attitude. Looking at the bright side. That is something my children are really good at. My son smiles more than I have ever seen any other 5 month old smile. True there is only one other 5 month old that I have been around as much as I have been around him, and that is his sister. But he is a very happy baby. He seems to be grinning constantly, even if he isn't feeling well. Even if he is tired or hungry quite often he is smiling through his tears. What a wonderful lesson to learn, to be happy through adversity. My daughter has an outgoing attitude, most of the time. She is getting to be more shy lately, when faced with unfamiliar circumstances, but it doesn't take her long to warm up and strive to make friends with any in the group, no matter age or gender. She loves people. She loves to say hi.

I think it is best to try to ignore the negative and focus on the positive and this is something that my children are teaching me daily.
So take some time and ask yourself, what good things have happened to me today, and forget about the bad.

D is for Definitely Different

So it may seem to someone who has never had any children or is only the parent of one, that it shouldn't be too hard to not compare your children. They are different individuals and that you should know that and expect that.
Now maybe some parents do. But I can tell you that for me at least it takes some work.
I knew my kids would be different, and not just that one is a boy and one is a girl. But I was still kind of shocked when my son was born, and he looked very different from what his sister looked like when she was born.
My first child was a definite pacifier baby, in fact she is still quite attached to it. My second child will suck on one if it is put in his mouth, but definitely prefers his fist. As my husband put it one time, something I have to get used to is that the pacifier isn't the solution to all the worlds problems with this kid.
My daughter, loved to cuddle and be held for her first 4-5 months of life. My son would rather lay on the floor where he has more freedom to move his limbs around.
My daughter had a hard time nursing, but that is what she wanted to do, she didn't like the bottle. My son, refuses to nurse, the bottle is all he will take.
So yes they are different and I am getting used to it. And you know what I love them all the more for their differences. I don't think I would want two children who are exactly alike.
And I'm sure as they grow I'll come to realize even more differences, and enjoy every minute of it.