Smart Women

My family is now full of them. This picture is of Miss Riley and Miss Leeloo, my girls. Riley was having her dinner while enjoying Fern Gully while Leeloo took a nap. Leeloo now understands: Down, Drop it, Sit, No Bite, Pee Pee, and Put it Back (for her toys). I cannot believe how fast see learns. If we stay on top of her potty schedule (taking her out every 2hrs and/or when she wakes up from naps) she never needs the pee pee pads. She's had a few nights in a row sleeping in the crate. If we don't close her in while she eats she stays in calmly until she's done. I also gave her a large low basket for her toys a few days ago. She was very excited about this. She took each toy out in turn and eventually climbed in herself, so cute. Sometimes she would sleep curled around it, guarding it. Today for the first time I saw her bring her toy back to the basket. Mike said "Oh, she learned put it back." She sure had. She proceeded to drop a toy in a pick another one several time to much praise. We definitely got the pick of the litter.

Riley's no slouch either. She is her mother's daughter for sure. Riley has an extraordinary memory in general, but specifically for movies. For example she climbed down from her "Rapunzel tower" in the backyard and then bent down and felt the grass. After that she ran around the backyard saying "I can't believe I did this" over and over. It was a very successful recreation. This afternoon she brought me one of her plastic princess crowns. Then she instructed me to "see yourself in the jewels Mommy." Then she "saw herself", tried it on as a bracelet and then ran off to get Pascal.

Maybe you think it's just one movie she's seen ad nauseum. Very recently, like in the last week, Riley has seen Mulan between 4-6 times. There is a song near the start of the movie You'll Bring Honor To Us All. Here are the actual lyrics:
We'll have you washed and dried
Primped and polished till you glow with pride
Trust my recipe for instant bride
You'll bring honor to us all.
I was sitting in the living room when Riley came in with a large paintbrush and a small play food cake mix box. She had opened the box like a compact and was brushing the paintbrush inside it and then offering to paint my face. She started singing immediately, but it me me a minute to realize what she was saying:
Washed and dwied!
Painted, polished till you glow the pwide.
Recipe for instant bride.
You'll bring honor to us alllllll
She was pretending to paint my face like a Chinese bride and insisting I twirl my hair at the end of the process just like Mulan in the movie. I love her!