Kelsey

I always have these grand intentions to blog these big long post about my girls and where they are developmentally for my own keeping, but then I get so overwhelmed that I never do anything. I guess I'd rather sit and live their lives with them than document them. BUT I already feel like time is flying by so I would hate to not put something on paper.  Like always, what ever I think is going to get thrown on the page. I may not even edit this one (shocker right? Since 90% of my post aren't edited) but I just really want to sit and type about Kelsey for a while.

I guess another reason I keep putting this off, is because I just don't know how to start. For the sake of embarrassing myself with a lame intro, I'm going to start this one in the middle. That way I can't be judge for my poor intro about one of the coolest topics I know.

Kelsey as a 4.5 year old has been really fun. Kelsey ready for life. I don't know how, but she is ready. She wants to be in school so bad and thrives under structure. She just wants order and structure in everything that she does. Sound like anyone you know? Sorry Kelsey! I promise good can come from being like that too. Kelsey is very creative and LOVES to play pretend, but to sum her up in one word it would be routine. If we deviate in any part of her life, she just flips out. Girls gotta have her order. I would die without Kelsey. She keeps me laughing, keeps me level, and keeps me happy. She is so cheerful, and her one liners kill us. She is so much like her dad when it comes to being silly and I love that about her. "mom relax" she says almost daily.

Kelsey loves to make people laugh. First thing she does when she wakes up, well is snuggle with us because she loves to be snuggly, but after that she cracks a joke, or tells us about a ridiculous made up dream, or cracks a funny face just to get a rise from people. She doesn't love to be the center of attention, but she LOVES to make you laugh. If she has your attention, she will run with it.

Right now Kelsey is in a dance class and she totally loves it. She loves the ballet part the best because "its hard to move my feet in tap."

The only blonde! Crazy right?!

She also loves music. Like thrives on music. I don't know a ton of 4 year olds and maybe its totally normal, but Kelsey can sing the words of a song after like 2 listen through. And its not just kids songs that she loves. She loves songs in general. Sometimes she will ask me to play songs over just because she liked certain instrumental parts or because she like the way the violins sounded versus the trumpets. I'm not saying she will grow up to be the next Taylor Swift, but I love how much music speaks to her. The other day we were listening to "Hand Clap" and Kelsey asked me to pause the music. I thought it was weird because she loves that songs, but when I did she did her best to essentially ask me what  rythym was. She didn't know the words to ask so she did something like this "Mom. Why do the notes know when to come at the right time and they always come when my head moves?" Very basic (and sort of confussing) question, but she felt it! I love this so much!!! She hears different instruments in songs and has asked for about 15 for Chrsitmas "including the one that is like a guitar but where you move both fingers at the same time on the top and bottom of the stick thing" Banjo :)  We are trying to find some sort of music class for her to join because I think she would love that. She asked me all about choirs and if she was old enough to be in one. I dont' know if Kesley will ever be a soloist because she tends to enjoy crowd performances better, but you never know. I just really see music in her future and that would make me really happy.

One think that we are working on is trying to help her understand that being perfect is not a thing. Its not real life, it is unachievable, and it will only bring heartache. I mean, this is one of the hardest lessons ever learned in life so we aren't too crazy about it, but Kelsey HATES making mistakes. She already beats herself up so much and it worries me just a little bit for the future. I have seen perfectionism destroy lives and marriages and I just don't want that heart ache for Kelsey. To be more specific, Kelsey puts herself in time out ALL! THE! TIME!! At first I thought it was really cute, but as she is getting older and her punishments are getting harsher on herself, I'm starting to see that its not like a funny joke, but more of a personality thing that we can work together to improve. The only reason its hard for me, is because Kelsey is such a good girl. I know I'm biased but my goodness I'm her mother so you better believe I 'm biased.  Kelsey is the most obedient person I have ever met.Don't get me wrong. She's still 4.5 and daily I have to remind her that I am the mother and I'm doing a pretty good job, but for the most part, she rocks when it comes to rules. Like 2 months ago, I told her never to move this one chair, and then yesterday I told her to go grab it and she was like "mom, I can't move that chair. If I move that chair, I am breaking rules and I don't want to get into trouble." She has cried multiple nights because she was afraid Santa didn't know that she was sorry and comes and tells me when she has done something "wrong." I know and believe that each of us come to earth with our own personalities but I do wonder (and worry) what I have done wrong to make Kelsey believe that she has to be so perfect. What have I done to set the bar so high in her young life? I just hope together we can figure out how to let her loosen up, have fun, but still follow rules. Following rules is not bad, but being a kid isn't either. We often say "get messy! Make mistakes!" I just hope she believes me and knows that I really want her to do that. I love you Kelsey. You are such a wonderful person!

Kelsey loves to be the mother, she loves to be in charge, and she loves knowing that she is the boss.  I wouldn't be surprised if she grows up to be a CEO or something. She is always negotiating with us or her teachers and helps class mates find order. She naturally just knows how to help chaos. She often tells me that she wants to be a mom when she grows up and that makes me really happy.

Kelsey is one of the sweetest girls I know. She says hi to strangers everywhere we go and always seems to make a friend. She always introduces me and Madison and then asks them about their life. Most people are taken back at first but then they open up. I'm still not great at following her lead, but I totally believe that if we were all a little more open and friendly like Kelsey (and kids) we would just have a kinder world. Can you imagine if you said hi to everyone and everyone said hi to you? Wouldn't it be so happy?! I hope Kelsey never gets nervous to stop doing this.

And then in general just for record sake, here are a few things that Kelsey loves at 4.5
cowgirls, dress up, playing house, playing moms, bad guys, coloring pictures, mailing letters, cooking, making lists, taking care of babies, music, spaghetti, salmon, crunchy toast, sugar, screen time, tablets (she pretends her books are tablets because she doesn't own one), and turning on her radio. Kelsey goes potty by herself, makes her bed without being asked more days, loves to help take the groceries in, hates going to the bathroom before bed, loves to play with friends and at the park, uses big words that she doesn't know the meaning of, sings her thoughts, and loves to hold and read to Madison. I'm sure I'll think of more, but that should give a great idea for now.
Some of her favorite shows right now include, Word World, Jake, Wild Kratts, Adventure Cat, Lion Guard, and a Goofy Movie.
Her good friends are Hadlee, Siena, Vera, and Madi

There are a few things I forgot about Kesley
She loves to play house and babies and mom and is always talking the parts out. She creates house all over the house and will tell you your lines as you play. 
Kelsey is the queen of one liners. Its hard not to laugh because she knows exactly what to say to be hilarious. Other day I was like "Kelsey, you need to stop making that bread. I told you not to use the toaster and you didn't listen" In response this is what I got, "Mom, don't get mad at me for trying to learn how to be a mom. I'm just practicing being as awesome as you some day." And done. She wins.
Right now if you ask her what she wants to be when she grows up she will say a mom or a cowgirl
Kelsey is always making up games. She is exactly like her dad. The titles of her games might be the best part. "Mom, lets play tickle my face and you say boo." Want to play that? 
She also is full of questions right now. I try my best to come up with accurate answers that give her what she is looking for but it gets hard because she will always ask a question and then not give me time to thinking. While I'm thinking and gathering my response she just sits there and goes "who?who? who? who?" or "why?why?why?why?" I want her to know that question are perfect to ask and its great to ask questions, but we are working on letting people find an answer too.
Kelsey works so hard and loves to show you her efforts. What I love so much about Kelsey is her ability to be pleased with the little things in life. She wants to do a good job, but she also gets excited when she makes her bed, or discovers a rhyming word. It helps me remember to be joyful in the simple things.