Lexi Lou- Potty Training, The Binkie Fairy, Growing Up Too Fast

 Ohhh little Lexi Lou. She marches to the beat of her own drum. She has the spunkiest, funniest personality and the sweetest, most loving disposition. I sure love her. I am her mother, so I might be biased. But pretty sure she's one of the cutest 2 year olds (freshly turned 3!) that ever lived. Every single picture I take of her, I smile and laugh because she's such a character.

 This is the Lexi that will always be engrained in my mind and that I want to wrap up and keep forever. Why oh why do kids have to grow up! Why do babies have to become big kids? It's just not fair. It's an honor and pleasure and miracle to watch, but it's heart breaking at the same time. Being a parent is hard. Dang hard. And life goes way too fast. And kids hit all these milestones that are exciting and sad at the same time, because it means they're not your little baby anymore.

 I just want my little curly blonde haired blue eyed baby to stay my baby forever.

 But then she goes and does this....

 And completely surprises me that she knows how to color inside the lines! Then she gets on an independent kick, and always wants to dress herself. No matter the battle it is with herself!

 And THEN she goes and decides that she wants to be a big girl who goes potty on the toilet. And so, the potty training begins. We started around June 2014, when she was 2 and a half. She was clearly excited about this business.

THEN, I was the one who actually decided it was time to give up the pacifiers. Binkies, in our house. Brittney mentioned one day that Owen had given his up, and since he's younger than Lexi, I realized it was high time!

She only used them at nap and bedtime. Piece of cake, I thought. I would enlist the help of the Binkie Fairy.

It worked for Cami, so it would work for Lexi! For sure! Cami got a new pair of flip flops from the Binkie Fairy and never looked back. Lexi received a brand new giant Winnie the Pooh.

She was excited. For a few hours. Then when naptime came, she protested. She asked for her binkie. She didn't care to be reminded of Winnie the Pooh and her sacrifice for other babies. She wanted her binkie. And so it went, for a few miserable days. She would lay down there in her pack n' play in the dark basement (her designated napping spot for the past 3 years) and cry and cry for her binkie, and then eventually fall asleep. Poor little girl. Finally, it got easier and she decided she was indeed ok without her binkies. PHEW! (And for a potty training update- it's been a long 5 or so months, but she has finally mastered it! No more accidents and she's rockin' those Hello Kitty panties!)

She loves to be a big girl. She wants to be like Cami. She'll wear her shoes, follow her around, climb whatever Cami climbs, want to play with whoever Cami plays with. Looks up to her big sister and wants to be big.

But can I just keep her small?

Oh how I love you, my Lexi Lou. Never change. Always keep your innocent, sweet, sassy, spunky, hilarious, loving, independent little spirit.

And don't grow up too fast.