Month 28 - Recap

You love giving High Fives. You especially love giving them Up High and Down Low. And even though you're usually Too Slow, you still insist on playing the game no fewer than 384 times a day. We were stopped at a red light a few weeks ago and we were next to a service vehicle that had a flashing light on top of it.
You: Yook [Look], Momma! A yight [light]! A YIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!! (You're nothing, if not enthusiastic).
Me: I see it! Cool, huh?
You: Yight up high.
Me: The light IS on top of the truck. You're right! (In case you have a two-year-old one day, they want you to acknowledge and repeat everything they say. Everything. They. Say. E. V. E. R. Y. T. H. I. N. G.)
You: Yight up high. Not down yow [low]. TOO S'YO!!!! [slow]

Hysterical.

You also love playing Tic Tac Toe. And by 'playing Tic Tac Toe', I, of course, mean that you love taking the magnetic Os and sticking them on your fingers like rings and taking the Xs and stacking them in a pile and trying to balance it on your arm. Surprisingly (not), this infuriates your sister, who simply cannot IMAGINE why a two-year-old cannot grasp the proper way to play Tic Tac Toe. Oh, and you call it Tac Toe Toes. That, not surprisingly, makes your sister giggle.

You feel most words that end in an N should instead end in a D or a T, and if a word starts with an S, the S is completely optional. Down is downt, whine is whine-t (whining is whine-ding), on is on-t. It's hard to type out how you pronounce an S word without saying the S, but I'll try: breathe out through your nose and simultaneously scrunch your nose like you smell something gross. Then say the word with out the S.

You were sitting on a basketball yesterday (because that's totally normal, right?) and after you fell off it (shocker!), you were sitting on the ground with your back to the basketball. You turned around, saw the basketball, smiled and said "Yook, Momma! I a snail! Yike [Like] Tuh-bo [Turbo]!" That you realized the basketball up against your back looked like a snail shell absolutely floored me. And you looked so tickled for coming up with it. I think you were probably bummed that it didn't make you as fast as a nitrous oxide-fueled snail, though.

This month you started asking the names of song titles and the words of certain lyrics. Which just further confirms that Christian radio is the way to go for our family. Even though you don't necessarily know what the titles or lyrics mean, I like not having to cringe when I tell you the answer. It's not like I think you and Natalie are never going to listen to secular music, but for the time being, while you're both still so impressionable, I want to fill your heads and hearts with music that's missing the drama/anger/adult behavior that seems to be so prevalent in a lot of secular music.

For the past few months, whenever you pitch a fit, I tell you to go to your room if you need to fuss. You don't stop fussing, but your shoulders slump and turn inward and you walk pitifully to your room. Thirty seconds later you come find me and tell me you've "stopped whine-ding". I know it won't always be that easy, but it cracks me up that it works for now.

You're such a fun kid to be around, full of demanding curiosity and unbridled silliness. My heart is full to overflowing with you and your delightful, albeit periodically whine-dy, spirit.

Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy

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Headlines for March 9, 2014:

• Toddler's FaceTime Saves Mom After Dog Bite
• Officials Investigate Stolen Passports Used on Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 
• Jared Leto Thinks Jennifer Lawrence's Oscars Falls 'A Bit Of An Act'
• Rob Ford Shows Calculating Daylight Saving Time Is Hard
• Blood Test Might Predict Who Will Develop Alzheimer's

February 2014 - Recap

You started ballet this month. I have to admit, I had my reservations about the whole 'dance class' thing. I know I'm old-fashioned, but when you mentioned the idea of taking ballet class, I fast-forwarded to your recitals and had visions of those less-than-appropriate costumes that the girls sometimes wear (and the less-than-appropriate songs the girls sometimes dance to). It all makes me very uncomfortable. I was given the name of a local gal who teaches ballet and after talking to her on the phone, all my concerns disappeared. She assured me the girls either dance to classical music or to Christian music. And she said that for the recitals, the girls (younger and older) all wear appropriate costumes. Whew. You've only been to two classes, but you're a huge fan. The classes are held in what looks like a converted barn. It's right by the water, rustic and gorgeous. There are plenty of places for Charlie and I to explore while you're in class. I peek in periodically, and God bless your teacher and her teen-aged helpers - teaching five- and six-year-olds to dance ballet is not unlike herding cats. It's enormously precious.

You and Charlie had your first experience of being babysat by someone other than Bob and Pep. One of the hardest things about moving to Marianna was not being 10 minutes away from Bob and Pep. Daddy and I tried really hard to never abuse the proximity and  ask them to watch you two too much, but it was nice to get a fairly consistent date night. But when we moved, we had to adjust. I knew when we found a church, we'd get plugged in. And once we got plugged in, I'd feel comfortable asking around for babysitter recommendations. But it took us a lot longer to find a church than I was thinking it would. It wasn't until just before Christmas that we found it. We joined a small group in January and got connected with a wonderful group of people. I had offhandedly mentioned to one of the ladies in our group that Lee and I hadn't had a date in a while. Well, the next day, I got a call from both her and our group leaders, asking Lee and I to pick a day where they'd each come down to Marianna and watch you and Charlie so Daddy and I could have a date. This was definitely an answered prayer. Our group leaders drove down from Dothan and Daddy and I hightailed it to Panama City. Our friends said they had an awesome time with you and Charlie. They also said that if they looked up the word 'precocious' in the dictionary, they'd find a picture of you. He speaketh the truth-eth.

You are a Frozen fanatic. It's the latest Disney movie to come out and you've had Frozen on the brain since you saw it a few months ago. You'd love nothing more than to spend all day watching YouTube videos of the songs from the movie. [I have to admit, the movie is fantastic and the songs are incredible]. The movie comes out in a few weeks, and while I was thinking of putting it in your Easter basket, I probably won't be able to wait. Seeing genuine excitement on your face is such a joy of mine.

The Olympics were last month, and [being the Olympic fan I am], we watched a lot of the events. You now want to be a figure skater, a skiier, and an 'ice sweeper' [the curlers who smooth the ice]. I didn't break the news to you that we don't live in an area that's ripe with winter sports. I also haven't broken the news to you that the height of your parents might interfere with your desire to be a gymnast. Daddy and I are wonderstruck by your precocious little self, so dream big, baby girl.

Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy

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Headlines for March 1, 2014:

• Cold, Rain Forecast for Mardi Gras in New Orleans
• Photos Tell You Who Won Snake vs. Croc Battle
• Ukrainian Troops Stare Down Russian Forces
• Ohio student points finger like gun, is suspended
• New Jersey teen sues parents for financial support, claims she was 'kicked out' of home