Discovering Strengths

This evening I took a online self assessment test designed to help me discover my strengths. Don't worry, I won't bore you all with an my insightful musings on my strengths and weaknesses - that is sure to come later after I've had more time to really digest the information. Right now I thought I write a little of what I predict my children's strengths will be based on what they are saying and doing now. In twenty years, I'll be able to look back and see if I was right. Today I will start with my little Evie, my terrific toddler. Eve values her independence. She is my charge ahead girl. Today at the spray park, she kept running away, turning around to do her " mommy come with me " sign and then was off again. In a "come here" battle with Eve, I always lose ( luckily, in a "I'm going to pick you up and carry you" battle I always win.)

Eve tantrums less than my other girls did ( not a hard thing for anyone who ever dealt with Jackie after a nap). She is not all about the drama, she is all about the action. Eve mostly gets upset if there is something she is unable to do that she wants to - like doing up her red buckle shoes at the gym( so frustrating), or wants something she knows she can't have -(like the camera). She also has a very cute way of tantruming I like to call the "silent protest non-tantrum tantrum. This is how it goes.

She does something I have asked her not to do and continues to do it after I have told her to stop. I physically stop her from doing it. I get down to her level and explain why she can't do it. While I explain, she sinks to the ground, lays on her belly with her head on the floor. She doesn't move. She doesn't answer - she just stays still until I get up, at which point she gets up and before I know she is doing what she was doing in the first place.

I think she tantrums less than the other girls because she doesn't except no as an answer. She just plans how she will do it anyway. Experiential learner maybe? I'm just glad she came third - so her Dad will have had two teenagers ahead of her to break him in, because she does not do well with someone trying to control her. I think she will go her own way. Her baby blessing said that she would enjoy making choices, and blessed her to make the right choices. I hope so..

So Mom, have I got what I deserved?

On a side note - she has recently added a few new words to her vocabulary - please, cookie, shoe, and show. She only has said them because we have made her try.( i.e. if you try to say cookie you can have a cookie). Otherwise, she really doesn't try out words on her own. I think maybe because if you are planning to do whatever you want - really no one else needs to know.

Anyway - she is a super interesting, super delightful girl - She loves balls, cars, animals and kissing. Yesterday I was playing cars with her. She was making car noises, then would make the cars kiss each other. Pretty cute.