10 Things Kaia can do at 37 months old

I was just marveling (okay being annoyed at the most recent "I CAN DO IT!") at all the things that Kaia wants and can do as of today. Here are just a few of things I've been witness to:

1. Making her own toast. She sets up her step stool at the counter where the toaster oven is. Then goes and gets the butter from the refridgerator and a green plastic knife from the silverware drawer. Then back to the counter. She opens the bread, takes out a piece underneath the heel (the heels stays in to keep the bread fresh). Then read attaches the tie on the bag. Then sticks her bread into the toaster over and even knows how to turn our funky over on - holding the door closed with one hand and then pressing the toast button and slowly removing the hand on the door. Then when it dings she asks for help taking out her toast. Then she proceeds to scoop out little pats of butter from the tub onto her bread allowing the pats to melt. Always putting on too much and needing assistance to put a few of the pats back. Then proceeding to spread the butter and then licking the knife (GROSS). Sometimes she'll ask for jam or honey or cinnamon sugar, but she's generally pretty happy with plain butter. She'll then put her knife into the sink and the butter back in the fridge, but only when asked to.

2. Getting dressed. These days Kaia can pick out all of her own clothes (not that they go well together or match), get out of her PJs, and get dressed from head to toe, including socks and shoes. She can brush her own teeth, but despises it, even thought we just bought two new toothbrushes (a Firefly light up brush that Addy had at the Family Reunion and a Little Einsteins with June on it).

3. Gettihg warm milkie. She can get her "purple" milk and "blue" mik out of the refridgerator or the pantry and then shake the boxes, then pour them into her sippy cup. Then after mama or papa puts it into the microwave she can push the appropriate buttons to warm her milk and then help put the top on with help.

4. She can and likes to tie knots in belts, shoes, backpacks, etc all sorts of strings. She can even tie a double knot.

5. She's a great helper in the kitchen, putting silverware away, washing dishes, preparing foods - mixing, measuring, pouring, etc.

6. She has developed a deeper sense of empathy and has started to say, "I'm sorry" of her own volition. Our neighbor, Kathleen had mentioned that her son had just started doing such about 2 months ago and he is 2 months older than Kaia.

7. She has started to ride a trailer bike behind Brian's bike. She doesn't actually pedal and is still a bit small, but can hang on and ride. First time was up and down the street last Saturday, and then all the way home from preschool on Monday.

8. She has started to pre-read. One day while driving Brian and Kaia talked about the stop signs. She spelled it out and now everytime we see one she says, "S, T, O, P. That says stop." And she knows how to spell her own name.

9. She's an approacher. She is a social person. Still an introvert and slow to warm, but in public situations where people don't approach her she is super outgoing and friendly to strangers. Here are some examples. While out to lunch, when the waitress asks if we'd like something to drink and then brings us waters. As she leaves our table, Kaia said, "That is a very nice lady." Then when going to a store to buy a gift, she spots the activity table with a toy she doesn't understand, she asks a salesperson, "Excuse, what do you do with this?" When the women explains the toy called Widgets and builds something with it, Kaia then said, "Now what?" And finally, as we're walking the aisle of the grocery store and she is sitting in the cart, as we pass other shoppers Kaia waves and greets them with, "hello."

10. She chews gum. She's 3 years old and chews gum. On our trip down from Oregon, we bought some gum as a special treat to get us down the 16 hours driving to Ethan's Land. She LOVES it. I never thought I'd be giving a 3 year old gum.