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Shopping in Fort Collins, Colorado (Simret doesn't really like baby dolls, so she pushes her ball in a stroller?)

Thought that I would give a little Proctor/Lloyd family update.

Simret and Lance haven't been feeling well for the last week...a virus I am sure. Simret has had some challenging behavior mixed in with some sweetness during this last week. I am quite sure that she is out of sorts due to her illness (I am hoping). She had a difficult day at daycare yesterday; she was battling with her best friend Hannah...I guess they are more like sisters than best friends. Bri (our childcare provider) said that they had multiple time-outs that day; with Simret putting herself in the 1st time out (I love when she does this. It makes me think that she is extremely intuitive; she on occasion is able to calm herself before her emotions get out of control. I just wish she could do this more often. I guess that is where I come in, as a guide, to help her realize when she is escalating. I just cannot catch it sometimes before it happens). I guess it was a day of stealing toys from one another, hitting each other, and just not being very nice (Hannah has also not been feeling very well and out of sort herself this week). Bri said they started the day by hugging each other, but apparently it ended in tears and hurt feelings? I am hoping that today is a better day for both Hannah and Simret.

Simret's favorite thing to do lately is run. She runs circles around the house and prefers that someone would chase her. She has been repeating various words that we say and probably understands a great deal more than I give her credit for. Her favorite word is still DOG. She adores her dogs and they are starting to dig her as well; as she has been feeding them her snacks. Her favorite dog is still Thunder; who she actually has a deep love for and gives hugs to multiple times a day. At daycare she has started to play with the "big kids" and mimic what they do. She thinks it is funny to run in place or shake her head from side to side rapidly. She is the only person that I have met that loves to be tickled. She will actually grab your hand to tickle her? She also loves her big brothers; when Colton walks in the room she stops what she is doing to run to him and hug his legs. She also has this annoying habit of "clearing the table". This is when she uses her hand/arm in a sweeping motion and pushes all of her food off of the dinner table. This is extremely frustrating; also embarrassing when she does this when we are eating out. It usually happens when she is frustrated, overwhelmed, or wanting to be independent (when I help her eat or touch her plate). We are getting pretty good at identifying when she is building to this point and can usually deescalate the situation before it happens, by picking her up and removing her from the dinner table and then returning a few minutes later. So, to say the least the last month has been challenging; but it is all worth it when she gives me a big hug and pats my back or when she lays her head on my shoulder...this just melts my heart. I do realize that she is at the age that she is feeling out her boundaries...all I can say is thank God, or who ever you thank, for wine and good friends!

Simret and Daddy shopping...

a good cry after a fall...

checking to see if it is okay to hit the glass door on the refrigerator with a metal lid (testing her boundaries)

Standing on HER chair (the more dangerous the better)

seeing if the dog wants to be pet with a big metal lid (assessing her boundaries again?)

reading a magazine in her self-made boat (a huge cardboard box that we colored the outside to look like a boat).

sitting in HER chair...

Watching a video of Pacey...