No! Dat One!!!

As you know already, getting Laura dressed in anything but a dress each day is an exercise in parental determination. As the days warm up, the struggle will be more about which dress she's allowed to wear around the house vs. what is saved for Sundays and other special days, but it will be nice to let her have free reign in her closet.

This morning as I was helping her get dressed I was preparing for our usual 'discussion'. I was stunned at the turn the conversation took. Initially, I had determined that although our day was going to warm up to 80, the cooler morning meant her dress would need sleeves and I was preparing myself to say "No" to every sleeveless dress she'd pull out. When she didn't even approach the closet I should have realized she'd already made up her mind but I was slow to pick up on what she was doing. As I turned around to find my diaper clad child trying to climb on the glider, I asked her what she was doing. She paused, dropped her knee of the chair, pointed up and said "No! Dat one!"

Following her finger I saw the t-shirt her Aunt Diane had brought her. Since it was white I've been saving its initial wear for a warm weather visit so she could enjoy it on Laura in all its initial glory. Apparently that was not to be. After I removed it from its current spot and handed it to her, it was hard for her to put it on herself because she was wiggling with so much excitement. In fact, she could have cared less what shorts I chose for her, and I think that's a first. Once dressed, she couldn't wait to get downstairs to show the 'boys' how she was dressed and insisted on a 'piter' for posterity's sake. And if, by chance, a meal today requires her universal dipping sauce, it may never be that white again. :)

We also gathered 'the boys' for a picture as well. Here's my whole, wonderful gang. Matthew, growing so old so fast, and Jonathan, in all of his 'can't make his hair cooperate for anything' glory. I've got some great kids, don't I?