November 2 - Qualifiable

Quantitative methods = statistics
Qualitative methods = interview people

I'd say Penny's behavior isn't quantifiable, but I think I mean qualifiable. Right? Is that even a word? Outside of competitive sports? Anyway.

I was reading this great blog post about how parenting is wonderful because it gives you the first four years of your life back. You get to see them grow and change and go through all the developmental stages that you don't remember yourself. Those early milestones are easy to mark - when they first roll over, first walk, say their first word, first jump on two feet (*ahem*). The other stuff is less quantifiable (qualifiable?). Every so often Tray and I will remark on how much more "grown-up" Penny seems. This is now funny to us because we keep saying it every few months, and obviously she must not have been all that "grown up" the last time or we wouldn't be noticing the change this time, yet we keep feeling that way. I can't fully express what it is that makes me sit up and take notice that she's "changed," but she has. I don't know when exactly, or even what exactly, but I know it has to do with how conversational she is. Like, I guess I keep expecting simple short answers to my questions, but she busts out with a narrative - and I'm sitting there like, "where did you come from?"  Her ability to think logically has really progressed recently too. We can play "Blues Clues" together where I'll give her three clues and she has to figure out whatever it is that I'm asking her about. I mean, I don't make it difficult or anything, so she always gets it right, but I don't think she could have played it a few months ago. And she's always working her little brain to outsmart us. For example she likes going to the bank b/c she gets a lollipop. Well, obviously, we don't have anything to take to the bank very frequently, but she will ask if we can go every other day or so. She asked yesterday and Tray told her he didn't have anything to deposit. She told him we should go to the bank, take some money out, and then go and deposit it so she could get a lollipop! I guess I should be thankful she didn't tell us to work harder to make more money - lol!