Airplane cake, and my girl is growing up

Kelly asked for a picture of Lauren’s airplane cake, so here you go!!

I was thinking today how much Lauren is growing up:

• She was taking a shower today, and washed her own hair and body with only minimal help from me to get the last of the soap out of her hair.
• She’s started wanting to count beyond 12, and asks me to help her count to 20, and then will count through the 20s, 30s and 40s with me just reminding her that it’s not “20-10″ but “30.”
• She keeps asking me to teach her to read.
• She wants to serve her own dinner from the pan, and gets her own cereal and pours her own milk (if it’s not too full) at breakfast.
• She loves to try to make things rhyme, so will go around saying things like “Lauren boren,” and then “Mommy, what rhymes with Adam?”

One of the neatest things that’s happened the last month or so is that I’ve watched Lauren practice and practice things she’s really excited about and wants to learn. She wanted to learn to swim, and so every day she asked to go the the pool, and when we were there she’d practice and practice swimming, until now she’s pretty good at it.

A couple days ago Lauren started practicing her alphabet. She’s been able to write most of it for awhile now, but she decided she wanted to write it in order. So she’ll put a book that has the whole alphabet in front of her for help, and then sing through the alphabet song, writing one letter at a time. I’m really proud of her persistence, and willingness to work hard.

I appreciate her helpful spirit, and am so thankful for the gift she (and her sisters) are from God to me. (OK, end of my sappy, bragging post on Lauren!!)