Little Miss Independence??

Amara's recently been working on a new level of independence. She wants to do things on her own and without supervision. And if you interrupt her independent ventures (which can happen quite easily, since she doesn't announce them), unexplained screaming ensues. Sometimes it takes awhile to even figure out why she's upset and what she's attempting to do. Why can't she just say, "I'd like to be alone for a minute." Rarely happens. Lately, she doesn't want me to see her put on her jammies, she just wants to surprise me with it all done. And it has nothing to do with wanting privacy while she's changing or anything. She has no problem parading around in her Spongebob undies. But I'm allowed to be in the room with her if the light's off and I don't look. Then when she's all dressed, she flips the light on and looks at me expectantly, waiting for me to get all excited by the surprise.

Today she spent about 30 minutes in her room with her door closed. When I knocked to check on her, she had Ethan's changing pad down (the foam thing that goes on the table), and the strap wrapped around her waist. She was essentially wearing his changing pad. Hmm... That's what you've been doing with you special alone time? Very curious.

Then tonight, after her usual bedtime routine, I heard her crying in her bed after she'd been laying there for awhile. She asked me if someday I'll say, "Where is my little sweetie? I miss her!" (I said something similar to that once awhile ago in reference to her growing up.) Anyways, she's still very concerned about growing up, and getting bigger, and how soon she'll be as big as me. She's not sure about turning 4, and how she'll feel. She said, through tears, "It just makes me so sad!" Oh that sweet, sensitive little girl!