Mio is so independent these days! She wants to do everything we grownups are doing, and on her own. She also gets pointers from her favorite Japanese show, Shimajiro, which teaches little kids how to do practical things (like dressing themselves, going to the bathroom, washing your hands) as well as safety (like looking both ways and holding hands with a parent when walking in a parking lot) and manners (being quiet at the doctor’s office, sharing toys with other kids and learning how to ask to borrow things, keeping promises) — often through songs, and in ways that will make these lessons appealing to kids. Mio is so focused when she watches Shimajiro and I can tell she’s really absorbing what they teach!

Just this week, she started trying to dress herself, without me even saying anything!

So she still has a ways to go before perfecting the art of dressing oneself, but she’s got the determination and will! :)  She also begs for floss whenever she sees any of us using any, and goes to sliding the floss in her teeth. Between how much she likes to brush her teeth and learning to floss so early, she is really on top of keeping her pearly whites in tip-top shape!

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All these signs of independence really tickle me! It’s bittersweet, of course, but I’m so proud of Mio for taking the initiative to become more self-reliant. Plus, it makes for some pretty adorable pictures! 😉