pretending

We've been having lots of fun around here lately. Millie is SO imaginative and she spends much her time pretending and creating. She has gotten very into doll play in the last few weeks, and it's so sweet to see her take care of them! She sings them songs, feeds them meals, tucks them into bed, takes them to the park, dresses and re-dresses them, gives them medicine (cheerios) when they're sick, reads to them and snuggles them. She loves having conversations with her dollies, and I spend more time lately as "Madeline" or "Button" or "Monkey" than I do as Mama!

I recently put her art boxes - with all her paints, paper, glue, craft supplies, etc. down where she could reach them, and it has spurred an incredible amount of art. She spends HOURS some days painting, gluing, drawing and coloring, and our kitchen table is regularly covered with piles of paintings and projects. She often wants my help and participation, but it's always self-directed and almost every idea is completely her own. It's really been a beautiful thing to watch her creativity emerge on a daily basis!



Millie has also begun a little princess kick. I swore I was not going to encourage the Princess Thing with her, and I haven't - she's picked this up entirely on her own. I know most little girls go through a princess phase, but I honestly thought I'd just be annoyed if she did; there's so much I don't like about it. As it turns out, though, I think it's adorable. As I watch her dress up and pretend the couch is her castle, and watch her get so excited as we read about or she talks about "pwincesses", I can't help but be a little bit enchanted. :) We are regularly requested to call her "princess" rather than Millie, and as the day goes on she informs us of all the things princesses do: they hop like this; they fly like that; and they definitely have a very creative sense of style.



Millie's Aunt Mindy York gave her a chest full of the most beautiful hand-made dress-up clothes for Christmas, and combined with the random dress-up items we already had around the house, she has quite an eclectic and wonderful collection. She'll put on a mermaid headband, a fire hat, a flapper dress, fairy wings, and a grass skirt - all at the same time, of course - and she'll prance around as if she is the fanciest and most beautiful person on the face of the planet. Her love for dressing herself has also extended into her regular daily wear, which has resulted in some interesting (but absolutely adorable) outfits such as head-to-toe polka dots, and purple leopard pajama pants under a blue paisley skirt with a yellow zoo shirt over top. Some days I definitely wish I could get away with outfits like that!

Even though it can be a little bit frustrating when she does things like color her entire arms and hands blue because she's "painting her fingernails", or refuses to put on her shoes because she wants an exact pair (to go with the mismatched socks, of course) and one is missing, I really do adore the ways in which she is so fiercely independent and so fabulously creative right now. More than anything, I hope she keeps those traits as she grows.



We love our Princess Millie!!