Pictures In/On the Fridge

     Most mornings are pretty hectic when we're getting ready for school. This morning was no different. Nate isn't feeling well so he was up a lot last night and cranky when he woke up this morning. He was okay in his high chair with cereal for a little bit, but not for long. He was screaming but I had to get the kids' lunches made and somehow convince Mackenzie to stop throwing a temper tantrum and get dressed. I also wanted to be at the school a little early to give them some stuff for track and field day. It was all very overwhelming. Kelsey decided that she was going to draw me some pictures. She brought over a piece of paper that had some pencil scribbles on it and said, "It's for you Mommy." I told her it was beautiful and asked if she wanted to add a little color to it. I thought I could distract her by getting her to color. But she just scribbled a little more and tried ot give it to me again. I told her I loved it and she should put it on the fridge for me. She happily ran off.
     I got back to getting the kids ready and forgot about Kelsey and the pictures until I walked into the kitchen. I looked over and saw her putting papers in the refrigerator. At first I was confused but then I remembered that I had told her to put pictures on the fridge. I quickly said, "Not 'IN' the fridge Kelsey! 'ON' the fridge." She smiled her sweet little smile and said, "Okay," and took them out of the refrigerator and hung them on the outside of it with her magnets.
     Kelsey really is my independent little girl. She likes to do things for herself and she doesn't get frustrated as she tries to solve problems. We were teaching Natalee how to use the vacuum cleaner a few days ago so she could do some vacuuming for her chores. Kelsey wanted to vacuum too so we got the little floor vacuum cleaner out for her. She was doing an amazing job all by herself. We watched her from the living room as she pulled chairs out from the kitchen table, vacuumed where they were, and then put them back. It was very grown up.
     Last night Kelsey was playing with Haylee's balloon and she was laying all over it and pushing on it.  I was sure she was going to pop it so I asked Daren to take it away from her.  He put it up high on top of the entertainment center.  She cried for a few seconds then just left the room.  A minute later she came back in carrying our big kitchen stool.  She put it next to the entertainment center, climbed up, realized that she was still too short and headed back out of the living room.  A few seconds later she is back pushing a kitchen chair.  She moves some toys out of the way until the kitchen chair is pushed up next to the entertainment center.  She climbs up and says, "Still too short!"  She climbs back down and heads back into the kitchen.  She is about to lay Nate's pajamas on the chair when Haylee says, "That won't work Kelsey."  So she drops the PJ's and starts to look for something else.  I was completely enjoying watching her but Haylee took pity on her and climbed on the stool and got the balloon for her.
     Another thing she has done to help us out is make bottles for Nathan.  He'll be a little fussy and she'll hear me say to Daren that I think he needs a bottle.  I won't even realize that she was listening or that she went into the kitchen.  The next thing we know she'll be bringing us a bottle of formula.  Of course we have no idea what the water/formula ratio is when she makes the bottle.  And often the water is cold.  She actually stopped doing that a month or so ago because I explained to her that Mommy and Daddy need to be the ones to make the bottles.
     Other times I turn around and she'll be taking a yogurt and spoon to the kitchen table.  Did I say she could have a yogurt?  No, she just decided she was hungry and took care of it herself.  She really is a grown-up barely 3 year old and I absolutely adore her.  I enjoy all of the fun new things she says and does.