Delaney at 4 1/4

These days, Delaney is really interested in letters and their sounds, and .. just learned to write her name!  This picture was taken three days ago, and since then she's been getting better and better.  She's so proud of herself, and I am proud of her.

Taken with my phone

She goes to preschool Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.  I send her to a different preschool than I did last year, and I'm much happier with this one.  I think the teachers are more professional and seem to love what they do.  I get the feeling that when I leave Delaney there, she is really being taught, not just babysat for 3 hours.  

Still can't understand  "today", "tomorrow", "later", "next week", or even the difference between naptime and bedtime.   She thinks when naptime is over, it's going to be "tomorrow", and she doesn't even sleep!  I try not to get exasperated when we have a conversation that goes like this:  "Mama how long until Grandma gets here?"  "5 days."  "How long is that?"  She gets really frustrated when I tell her she can paint or watch a movie "later", and with good reason since "later" is just my way of putting her off.

Another thing she'll ask is "When will it be tomorrow?"  "When you go to bed and wake up in the morning, that will be tomorrow.  But you will call it 'today'."  Then I stop because now I'm befuddled.  It will be "tomorrow", but by the time it gets here it will be "today".. hmm.  No wonder she's having trouble with this concept, it is confusing!  I can't explain it to her, and even thinking about it gives me a headache.  I hope she figures it all out soon because she is trying.

She likes for me to joke around with her, and be silly, but it is important to her that I assure her I'm kidding.  If I say to Timmy, "I'm gonna eat you up!"  Delaney will say, "No, you won't, Mama.  You're just kidding, right?"  "No."  "Please be kidding, Mama.  Pretty please.."  "Yes, I'm kidding, you silly goose!"

She is still very much enamored of her little critters who live outside.  Every day at least once, she goes out to the back porch to look for one of her little lizards.  There is a whole family of them back there.  The baby ones are so cute.  If she spots one, she tries to catch it.  Sometimes she's quick enough, or the lizard is slow enough.

The lizards do end up surviving.  I always remind Delaney to be gentle with them.  (Taken with my phone)

She loves to draw cute little people who consist of a big smiley face, and four long skinny limbs.

Sometimes she has trouble getting going on her bike, but once she does, she can go fast now.  Our trips around the block are a lot quicker than they used to be.

She has a bright, inquisitive mind, and wants to know all about everything.  To that end, she asks so many questions she exhausts me.  She has boundless energy and never naps, even when she looks worn out.  She's always wants to know what fun thing we are going to next.  Fortunately, she is happy by herself, doing things like searching for lizards and picking up rocks.