Um, so we tried out the big girl bed.  Meredith still hasn't slept - not at naptime, and it's 9PM and she still hasn't gone to sleep.  I put her in the crib at naptime, and she flung herself out of it somehow and was walking in the room when we came in to check.  What to do?

This afternoon Ben relates this conversation with Meredith.

Ben: Do you like your crocs?  Crocs are like shoes.

Meredith: Crocs are like shoes.

(sees a helicopter in the sky)

Meredith: Helicopter!

Meredith: Helicopter is like Airplane!

Ben: Yes, very good!

Meredith: Crocs are like airplane!  No . . .

I don't know where Meredith came up with this, she only had Bugga Bunny with her and not her other animals downstairs.  What she said to Ben and I last night:

Bugga Bunny is Rabbit!

Is Elmo Rabbit?  No, Elmo not Rabbit.
Is Monkey Rabbit?  No, Monkey not Rabbit.

Is Bear Rabbit?  No, Bear not Rabbit.

Bugga Bunny is Rabbit!

Meredith was very good at the party for Ben on Sunday - she shared her toys (mostly) and charmed the adults.  She also learned from Shea that she can run across the room and scream in a high-pitched voice.  Fun.  She was good for babysitters during Anthea's wedding festivities as well.

It seems like Meredith seems to be getting that books are made up of letters - she'll point at a page and sing the ABC song!  She can pick out several letters (M, E, D, A, sometimes B, I, L) and pick out the word Egg in a book we have that has egg at least once on every page.  She's also saying letters in the teens, although not in any particular order :-)  I love reading to her and teaching her stuff.

We went to a Braves tailgate last night, and Meredith got a preview of beach weekend playing with Shea and Lauren.  Both are over a year older than Meredith, so I had been a little worried about them playing together, but if last night is any indication, I think she'll be fine.  The girls played football, which was HILARIOUS - the girls would all run after the ball, and when Meredith would get it she'd always pass it off (quarterback?), and then the other girls would throw it, and they'd all run after each other.

We tried to go swimming yesterday morning but it was cold, so we said we'd come back later. 

We took pictures today and hopefully will have some cute ones to post soon!  Meredith ran all over the photographer's house chasing after the kitty cat.

From Ben:

This morning she said oohooh and bugga bunny were hungry, but I told her we could only take one downstairs.  So we took bunny down, and he sat in the chair.  Meredith got a blueberry muffin and insisted bunny have one too.  So when she was done, bunny still hadn't eaten any of his muffn, so we put it back in the bag.  Then Meredith announced that bunny wanted to go back to bed, so I took him back up and put him in the crib and then we went to school.

Meredith also likes to read books to her animals, and when she was wearing socks wanted ALL of them to also wear socks.  She takes good care of them.

Ben and Meredith made me feel very special this mother's day.

Ben took Meredith shopping for a present yesterday, at a store and spa.  Ben picked out a couple of different options of bath salts and bubble bath and asked Meredith which one she thought I'd like the best.  She picked "Sleep Well," a lovely lavendar scent.  I'm looking forward to my bath tonight!

This morning Ben got Meredith up while I was still in bed and brought her in.  Her first words to me were, "Happy Mother's Day!"  Very sweet.

Ben made breakfast, and I opened my gifts, the bath stuff and a toaster.  We went to church and then I got to take a nap after church.  Ben grilled hamburgers for dinner.

Thank you Ben and Meredith for a wonderful day!

And thank you, all the wonderful moms in my life!

Meredith stayed home from school last Friday and Monday because she threw up a few times, but overall felt pretty good.  As Ben and I took turns staying with her, she entertained us with lots of songs.  She knows all the words to "Baa Baa Black Sheep," "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," "ABC," and many more.