Living, Loving, Learning, Sharing: Marisa update

Marisa is now 2 1/2. I've been meaning to post for some time but she has been keeping me quite preoccupied these days with new found skills. It's almost impossible or not smart on my part to let her out of my sight. Her most recent endeavor landed her at the ER. During nap one day, she climbed a 4 shelf bookshelf to get a piggy bank from the very top. The piggy bank fell and broke. I walked in on her just as she stepped on the broken piece, but I actually paid more attention to what she looked like when I opened the door before realizing she was injured. She was literally covered in Desitin from head to toe, her face her legs, her arms, all covered in white. I ran downstairs to get my camera. How could I not? and on my way up I saw a trail of blood on every step. I called Omar from outside and he saved the day. Thank God he was here. I would have panicked and probably rushed to the ER with my bleeding child. Instead, Omar stayed calm, bandaged her up and stopped the bleeding and I was complimented for his awesome "nurse" bandage. It was our longest ER visit ever, 7 hours for 4 stitches!!! and they poked and poked her many times because her veins were not cooperating. Eventually they gave up and administered the sedative through her leg muscle. Once she woke up she kept saying, "bank, bank, drop" but she was relieved and aware it was all over.

By the way, I feel the need to recommend Children's Hospitals since we've been to two of them. They always have a child life specialist on staff who helps your child with distraction (if they are young) or understanding what is happening to them there. Marisa got the little plain doll in the picture and performed every procedure she would be going though on the doll. We gave the doll an IV and drew a little laceration on the heel. I can't tell whether she correlated what we had done to the doll and what eventually happened to her but it made her visit more enjoyable and not all scary. She couldn't let go of that doll afterward. That is until we went outside of course and she dropped it in the parking lot. Oh well.

Her biggest accomplishment is mastering potty training 2 months ago. I was not prepared for this at all and even more so on the fact that she would also be potty trained through the night. She wakes up dry partially because she wakes up once a night to use the potty and then goes right back to sleep. Unfortunately she does need help at night so I wake up too.

She really is lovable despite the daily trouble she gets herself into. Before the piggy bank, stitches incident she had a typical room. We had to remove a few things and add locks to the doors. But prior to bedtime she'd go into her closet and dress herself in the silliest outfits. Each time we went in to tell her to go to bed she'd have a new getup. Some examples...cowboy boots and panties, only cowboy boots and nothing else, underwear on her head and a tu tu, no shirt with a tu tu and cowboy boots. It was very entertaining.

Marisa is incredibly affectionate. I get at least 10 random hugs a day and always one every morning. She also adores Jake though Jake does not correspond. (See picture below...she put Jake and herself in there, don't worry though I disallowed this from happening again but not before I took a picture) She always makes sure to tell me when his food or water bowl are empty even though it's usually during her mealtime. She wants me to feed him first.

Marisa continues to be helpful and often helps Elena with tasks Elena prefers help with. Most recently I loved that I sent Elena to my bathroom to get my glasses and when she said she could not reach them I asked Elena to ask Marisa for help. I knew Marisa could climb to get them. She is quite strong and uses just her arms and chest strength to lift herself up like in a push up. Anyway, they both came downstairs happily and Elena was so excited to say that she told Marisa where the glasses where and Marisa climbed up to reach them.

My dear Marisa while your persistence keeps me on my toes, I know this will be a wonderful quality later. I love to see your sheer determination especially when it's followed by your soft side that just as quickly needs comforting and affection.