July update :)

Mo is progressing steadily and in some cases rather quickly.

She has begun to learn how to swim and I have her practicing to hold her breath for underwater dunks. This will take some time, as she has a better understanding of 'blowing' than 'inhaling'...but she loves the water and paddles as I suspend her in Nana's pool.

She can fully dress herself, although the clothing might be on back-wards and inside out. ;)
She has just mastered buttons and now wants to button and unbutton and button...everything that has a button, no matter the size or difficulty involved.

Her table manners are once again improving (we had a small regression) and she handles an adult sized dinner fork just as well as anyone else...can and some times prefers to drink from a small, lid-free cup.
Drinks from straws without fussing much (previously too much fun).

She LOVES V-8, so we have stocked up on the low sodium blend...if I can't get veggies in her the traditional way...

Her vocabulary is immense although not yet precise. She is counting, singing her ABC's and usually right-on with colors. Tell her something once and she retains the knowledge. I wish I were that sharp.

She tumbles on our exercise mat, peddles her tricycle and has a great dexterity. The trampoline is her favorite 'she's going to kill herself' toy. She still stands on the seat of the tricycle...steady and challenging, she knows she's not supposed to, but grins with a sense of accomplishment every time I catch her.

Is starting to draw more but isn't very interested in learning how to write yet - prefers to "pretend" to do it instead...

Her sleep is still quite often disturbed and I am still a bit weary from it, but she willingly goes to bed on her own - and on most nights I now have Chaz putting her to bed for me. We were both very, very sick two weeks ago for almost two weeks, something bordering on bronchitis...it was the first time that she had been seriously ill since we met (she is very healthy, despite allergies and an aversion to sleep) and I was met with the greatest challenge trying to do the usual 'up every two hours' 24/7 while feeling a bit like death myself. Had us both out of sorts. 'Glad that's over.

She does not yet have the attention span to sit through a whole program of any kind, be it 'My Gym' or the movie 'Emo'...
Speaking of My Gym...she has grown a back bone when it comes to the bullies and I'm glad for it. While I instruct her in kindness and sharing, I don't want to her be a timid little flower waiting to be trampled...and yesterday she made me laugh out-loud. She has mastered the Hoppy-hop thing (large rubber ball with a handle 0 big in the 70's - I remember the Hoppy-Horse commercials) and was bouncing on one of two that they have in the play area...well, she fell off and had hold of it to get back on when some rough-housing boy about her age ran over and forcefully ripped it right from her hands. The look on her face was one of disbelief, and I was rather surprised by it, too...there was another one across the room near where he'd originated from still left unused. She gathered her muster, marched right up to the brat standing a few feet away and tore it back from his grip, mounted and hopped off. I really did laugh - I couldn't help myself. This from the docile little girl who had previously endured several aggressive interactions with the other kids, allowing her self to be screamed at, pushed and shoved, sometimes falling to the ground from force. Where are the parents? In the corner, on the cell phone or muttering to themselves...I was waiting for this boy's mother (or father) to call me out about what Mo did - I would have enjoyed explaining the event that lead up to his being cut down to size.
I don't want Morgan to be a bully (another word in my mind) but I do want her to stand up for her self. She did that just fine.

I have been busy working on a butterfly garden in the side yard (going to encompass the whole section) and she "helps" me when it isn't too hot or muddy...then we sit on the couch by the window and watch as various creatures frolic among the flowers and baths.

I'm sure I've missed some milestones here, but this is all that comes to mind right now.
I have so many pictures to sort through - when I can I will post those here (later).