back from the beach

this past week we went to jax, fl to house sit for family. it was SO nice! free gas (company car), free place to stay (their house), and free food (some chick-fil-a but we did pay for a lot). plus, we brought back all of our clothes CLEAN!
little bit LOVED the beach and hated the ocean :) the first time we went to the beach, we walked toward the water and she was fine but shortly thereafter she turned around, saw a wave, freaked out, and fell in the water...all 4" of it. that did it for the ocean. the next time we asked her if she wanted to go to the beach she said "no" but after a few visits (when she realized we meant the sand) she was excited to go.
one funny thing--we went to longhorn one night (chocolate stampede baby!!!) and she was just GRUMPY (to be nice about it). we made it through dinner and finally (i'm forgetting what she did) b had to take her out of the restaurant. he took her to the car, explained what she did, and spanked her. that was a few days before we left. for the next few days, everytime we'd drive by longhorn, she'd say "no no!" her memory AMAZES me!
a few weeks ago i was telling her where we lived (the state). it was a one time conversation, not really reiterated. then, yesterday, i saw a car w/ a new york tag. i said "i wish we lived in new york" and she said "the state we live it." i was SHOCKED that she remembered. i can't for the LIFE of me get her to understand colors though!
recently (about 3 weeks ago maybe) i told her we needed to cut her fingernails. she proceeded to the drawer where we keep the clippers, pulled them out, and brought them to me. that is the same drawer that isn't baby proofed and she gets in trouble for playing in. i let her get the clippers but nothing else. so yesterday, she got in the drawer and got in trouble for it. today, i was telling b's mom about her getting her own clippers out of the drawer and she started saying "no no!" about the drawer :) now, if she can remember when we are sitting at a hospital no where NEAR the drawer, why can't she remember when we're looking at the drawer?

tell me where your kids are...colors? numbers? letters? counting? phonics? i feel like i'm slacking on the teaching aspect with little bit. i know i work and i don't have much of a choice but i feel like our time spent together is often wasted. i don't know what activities to do with her though...reading a book-out! she won't sit still if you're sitting there with her. she'll "read" for a long time by herself but not with me! puzzles--out! she'd much rather hide the pieces somewhere other than the puzzle. she will play follow the leader pretty well (put her hands up, on her head, touch her nose, etc) and she knows the parts of her body for the most part. she can climb up steps by herself (for awhile now), loves putting things inside other things, and can do motions to songs (twinkle twinkle little star, if you're happy and you know it). she understands coloring and loves to but is by no means trying to trace or draw what i do (read the article)
**side note--i do think this is a pretty good page and definitely relates more to what little bit can do than some of the other sites i've read.

how about potty training? are they ready? are they showing signs? little bit definitely tells me when she poops and that she wants to go potty (sit on the potty) but she won't go in the potty (not even peeing). i know it says most kids aren't ready until 2-2 1/2 but then people in my sunday school have super kids who go before they're 2.


so having said all of that--also tell me this--do you get annoyed when people tell you how their 18 month old can count to 40 and sing 25 songs, and knows their abc's? i know they are just proud but geez! a friend of a friend does that w/ her 2 year old. "oh, she knows blah and blah and can blah and blah" and it drives me batty! i want to know how my kid measures up but i don't want people to brag about the wonder that is their child!