Imagination

Audrey's imagination is so entertaining lately. It is really intriguing to us because she went from not talking, to suddenly talking a lot, to now talking non stop and making up fun stories. It first started a couple of weeks ago with made up words. She uses them in a silly context, like she'll say "haha that's so blaley" or "are you Goshwa?" I'm like no....I'm mama. Then she laughs and says no you're Goshwa and I'm Zingo!".

The big thing though, is her "Christmas House". This is her imaginary other house, also located in "Panassas Park", although this one is "really so far away so we have to drive there". Some of the things at her Christmas house are: a leopard, a bird named Poc, and an imaginary made up animal (Name I cannot remember) that makes a sound like a Moo, but its more like "Moooeeeerrrrp". She also has a red pickup truck that she drives. We are allowed to ride in it with her.

When we see something on TV or at a store that she wants she'll say its ok if we don't get it because she already has it at her Christmas house anyways.

The night before we took her ice skating, we told her we're going on a special family adventure tomorrow. She replied, "yeah! And we're going to ride on a camel with the King!". Daddys the King and she of course, is the princess. JJ and I are the Prince and the Queen, but we don't get to ride on the camel.

There are so many times throughout each day that I wish I could just have a camera in the corner recording our conversations. I try to write them down when they occur so that I'll remember them but that doesn't always happen. In addition to her imagination, she has also become quite the negotiator. Everything is "But! BUT...!!" followed by some explanation as to why she can't do what I've told her to do/not do.

She had her first playdate a couple weekends ago with a friend from school. She's had many over the years with other friends, but they've always been with MY friends' kids, not friends that she made on her own. But this was a girl from school who came over with her mom and I really enjoyed watching them together. The other girl was shy, and I'm used to Audrey being the shy one....so it was really surprising to see her talking so much and encouraging the other girl to play games with her since it is usually the other way around. I think it also is that she's just maturing and becoming more comfortable around other people. She's always been so quiet and shy around others at first, so its nice to see her being herself and opening up around people. She has grown so much in these past few months since school, especially the last two months since Christmas. It has been like one big developmental spurt - language, intelligence, imagination - all of it has just boomed recently. I can't wait to see where the next few months take us!