Proud (31 for 21 post 26)

I forgot one of the tidbits I intended to post about yesterday and it was the one that made me smile the biggest of all.  You know there are the big milestones  like crawling and walking that make us jump up and down and cheer.  And there are the little milestones like properly sorting shapes and putting puzzles together that make us smile and brag.  And then there are the ones that make us bust our buttons and scoop our sweet children up in great big hugs because they just made us so proud.  Reagan did that last night.  She was thirsty and so she signed drink and said "duce" as she usually does.  And she watched patiently as I filled her cup as she sometimes does.  And then when I handed it to her she did something that she has never done before and is an achievement for any two year old....she tucked that cup in the crook of one chubby little arm and with her other hand looked my right in the eyes and signed Thank You.  And then of course she giggled and looked at me like I was nuts for making such a big deal out of it.  But it is a big deal.  We always want our children to show gratitude and good manners, and that is not always easy with two year olds (or 4 year olds or 5 year olds either).  We teach by example, modeling gratitude and requiring it from the older girls.  This not something we have really asked of Reagan more than a scattered handful of times.  So aside from the crazy cuteness of it,  and aside from the fact that I'm proud she is developing manners,  mostly I am reminded not to expect less of her than her sisters.  She watches and observes, then she shows me...yeah Mom,  I got this too.