Alena, you're the greatest

What started off being what I thought was going to be a "bad Alena day," turned out to be a pretty good one. For one reason or another my little queen of sass spent the first hour or so of the day doing anything and everything possible to get under my skin and cause ruckus after ruckus with her siblings. It was as though she was trying to agitate everyone around her.

We had a major turn around, however, at 10 o'clock when Trace and Alysse went down for their naps. Things always slow down for a bit around this time, and today that was just what Alena needed.

A perfect time for doing "big girl" things, we spent our baby-free hour addressing the valentines for Alena's classmates. I drew ruled and dashed lines on the envelopes just like that paper used when you first learn to form letters while putting lead to paper. After making the letters of each classmate's name in dashed form, Alena then wrote the names on the envelopes, stuffing and sealing each one.

She did a fantastic job writing each of her friends' names and was thrilled to be addressing her cards herself. Through each of the eleven names and envelopes, she stayed focused and careful. Very proud of herself and the terrific job she had done, it set a different tone for the rest of the day and she proved to be more helpful and less aggressive.

During bath time, she said to me, "You're the greatest mom in the world."

Not that she's got any other moms to compare me to, it was the greatest thing she could have possibly said to me. And while I don't tell her nearly enough, I think she's the greatest too!