Finger-painting Masterpiece

Kendall turned eighteen months old yesterday. She has officially left babyland and entered toddlerville.  She seemed to wake up a different kid yesterday morning. She spoke. A lot. Here are things she said yesterday that I have never heard her say before:

"Hh, mama."--this is "Help, mama."

"Tay Hu."--"Thank you."

"Enal."--"Kendall."

"Eeee!"--"Cheese!"

"Ya."--"Yes."

I speak fluent Kendall. I can determine her wants and needs by the tone of the grunt. But now, now she is starting to use words. What a big girl. She's starting to eat and starting to talk. It's about time, girlfriend.

While Avery was napping, I asked her if she wanted to do something fun. She brought me her shoes. When I told her we weren't going anywhere, she was mad for a minute. Then I sat her in her chair and she perked up when I got out the supplies. How could Kendall be a year and a half old and never have finger-painted before? Man, what a slacker for a Mom. She participates in a lot of art/craft projects but is usually an unwilling participant and can't wait to get back to doing her thang. But this, this she was stoked for.

I used masking tape to tape the paper down onto the table. This served two purposes. One was to keep it on the table, obviously. I did not want to have to clean paint up off the floor. She likes to throw things. It's a problem. We are working on it. The second purpose was to create a frame around her masterpiece.

She started with a one-finger technique. She was a little apprehensive. I thought this might be a failure because she does not like anything at all to be on her hands. We go through a lot of kitchen towels because she is a cleaner-upper. She likes to wipe up everything, even if there is nothing there. I fear OCD is in her future. But with a mother like me, it's only inevitable. My poor girls.

She's going at it now. One whole hand covered in paint. Oops, you're getting off the paper. Ah, whatever. It's washable paint. Have at it. It's your birfday, your half-birfday.

Smear, smear, smear.

Squishy.

Two hands now. Maybe there is hope for her to get messy and love it.

LOVING IT!

"Mama, you want to hold my hand?"

I had to get a second piece of paper. She filled the first and wanted more. This time I didn't tape it. The paint on the table acted like a glue. Nice.

Here is the first finger-painting masterpiece ever by Miss Kendall. I call it post-Modern Abstract. She called it fun.

This was after it dried and I took off the tape. It created a sweet little frame around the amazing work of art.

I think Kendall's favorite part was getting to wash her hands at the sink. She thinks she's pretty cool when she gets to do that.

This was a day of firsts for Kendall: first words, first painting, and first official time out. Yup, it's true. I know she's young but we can start laying the groundwork now, before she really does start to discover her sass. It is inevitable. She is my daughter and Avery's sister. She will have plenty of sass to go around.

She was kicking Avery so I put her on the bottom step. And she sat there. She giggled at first but then I told her she was naughty. She gave me sad face. Then she got up. So I sat her back down. She got up again. So I sat her back down. Then I told her to give Avery a hug and kiss. She did. Then she kicked Avery again. Avery told her to go on a time out. And she did. She walked over to the bottom step and sat down. She learns fast, kinda.