The Fort

Yesterday Mom and I made a fort! She says this is a really fun age because I have started to do imaginative play. First I played house with some of my favorite dolls and stuffed animals, then I played hide and seek with the dogs. Maggie was more interested in sniffing out one of my toys to eat, but Moxie found me right away and tried to jump in the fort! Today I spontaneously brought out "my little brother" to give him his bottle. I took him for a walk in the stroller, changed his diaper, and laughed at him for making a stinky poo poo. Mom and Dad are optimistic that this is a sign of me warming up to the idea of a baby boy... Nevermind the fact that I carry him around by the hair.

Theatre

Toddler Acting Classes began on Saturday morning over a bowl of Fruity Cheerios. Mom gave me different scenarios and we perfected my facial expressions (we have a little more work to do before the Oscars). First scene: Mad Face, inspired by "Maggie ate your stuffed kitty". Next: Fake Sad Face, "Tell Dad you need a hug so he will get you more gummy bears". (This face is usually followed by a giggle, because it's a good way to manipulate my parents).
Last: Shock and Awe, "Kalyn and Aunt Julie are coming to visit in April!". I love making these faces and then laughing at the pictures with Mom. She says I am a funny little ham.

Birthday Parties

The best part of any weekend is helping a friend celebrate their birthday! This weekend we went to the park for a Dora-Diego themed party. I was ecstatic to see my BFF, Sophia! We grabbed juice packs and did our traditional toast, saying "Cheers!".
Then we all ran big circles around the basketball courts. Dad made fun of Mom for putting me in a "Where's Waldo" outfit for the party. But he was loving the loud stripes when I disappeared around the corner amid all the chaos, and he had to find me before I ran out into traffic.At cake time, we all spontaneously broke into a loud version of our ABCs. It was hilarious- we obviously knew we were supposed to be singing something to the birthday boy, but couldn't remember exactly which song it was.
When we finally started the Happy Birthday Song, he was too embarrassed to sing along. It was so cute!

Tricycle

The weather has been so nice lately that Dad couldn't resist the impulse to give me an early birthday present! Sorry to our friends and family who are still freezing up north... the pictures of our beautiful 65 degree day will be disturbing. You guys can have revenge from May to September when we are stuck inside because it's too hot and humid to leave the air conditioning!
We love this tricycle because there is an adult steering bar, the perfect remedy for my tendency to go off-road. Once I got the hang of pushing the pedals forward to make it move, I had to remind Dad to "LET GO!". Giving him a dirty look was just bonus, to warn him not to try anything sneaky. This is the Tricycle EX model, complete with a bell,
And storage bin for awesome things like acorns, sticks, and goldfish crackers. We even took it to the street, where I showed Dad a few pointers.
Mom said we can call this tricycle a gift in honor of Maggie and Moxie's combined birthdays. This winter Maggie turned 9, making the official transition to Old Lady. She's maintained her killer instinct, sitting perfectly still for hours to stalk squirrels in the back yard.
And Moxie turned 8, carrying his decidedly mellow personality into Senior Citizenship. They were very excited about their birthday gifts: sturdy new orthopedic dog beds. Now everyone is happy!

Cuddle Candidates

Every night I have the difficult task of choosing a friend to cuddle in my crib. It's tough, because I love Buster, Vino (named after our neighbor's black lab), Kitty, and Puppy equally. Mom encourages me to simply cuddle all of them, but I argue that bedtime is like the game of life: there are winners... And losers.
P.S. Dad wanted me to reassure all of you who think the gate on my door is barbaric. Turns out, I am an extremely persistent kid who will get out of bed and resist bedtime for 3 hours (my over-strict parents think that an 11pm bedtime is not in my best interest). After failing to convince me to stay in bed with pediatrician-and-SuperNanny-approved techniques over a 4 week period, they brought out the gate. Now I am asleep (usually) within 20 minutes, and happy and rested when I wake up in the morning! The gate is our friend.

Marking Time

How time passes has become a new interest of mine. I like to confirm what day of the week it is and what time in the day I get to have marshmallows. I am also keeping track of holidays, telling my parents that "Christmas is over. Next is Valentine's Day". The parties at school are so fun that I like to keep track of which celebration comes next, so that I can be 100% prepared for the next batch of cupcakes I will have to eat. This attention to detail is what reminds Mom and Dad that I am truly a big girl now. I am also very conscientious about using nice manners, especially when I can be The Enforcer at home. If Dad yells something to Mom down the hall, I remind him that "we don't talk like that" or "use a nice voice, Dad". If I want something, I will say "You need to play the Belle song... (pause) Please?". If someone is helpful, I am quick to shower them with praise: "Thank you for fixing my bow. Thank you so much. That was very nice". And, when Mom goes to the potty, I tell her "Good job Mom. You didn't pee pee in your pants". Some of the funnier comments make my parents look at me in wonder, laughing at how my little brain works... like yesterday when Moxie was licking my face and I told him "Stop, Buddy! I'm not a bone!". I am growing up so fast!

Oh, Brother

It's official, there is a baby in Mom's belly, due on the 4th of July! It would be very exciting... but Mom and Dad told me it's a boy. I have asked for a sister many times, even telling Mom that I have a girl baby in my belly. They are trying to convince me that a little brother will be fun, like my sweet Moxie, who is a boy, too. I stubbornly refuse to accept a boy baby. I told Mom "No! I want a GIRL baby brother!". Dad is over the moon, he already ordered a huge poster of a teddy bear in a Red Sox uniform for the baby's room. They told me to look on the bright side: a brother will not want to play with my princess castle, and I don't have to share Mom when we have our Girls Days. Mom said my loving, nurturing side has been evident lately- in the playroom I cuddle my stuffed kitten, saying, "it's okay, don't cry". They think I will be just as kind to a baby brother, but I told them I would have to think about it. I will let them know if they can keep the baby after I meet him in July.

Hullabaloo

One of my favorite Christmas presents this year is from Aunt Julie and Kalyn, a game called Hullabaloo. You lay out little pads that are different shapes and colors, then listen for the speaker to tell you which pad to jump to.When the speaker says you are a winner, I yell "I'm a winner!". I like to play with Dad, because he takes the game very seriously, breaking his back to hit all the correct pads.He's no match for my competitive streak, and I don't let him mess around.
My second favorite toy is my Little Mermaid vanity table from Santa. Dad called it The Toddler Vanity Project, but he is the one who taught me to use the pink curling iron to twist my hair while Mom was at work. We think he had a deprived childhood, since Santa only brought him sports gear and boy stuff.

Circus

This weekend my BFF, Sophia, and I took our Moms to the circus! When Dad asked if he could go, I told him "No. You're a boy.". So, this became an official Girls Day. The best part was before the show, when we got to meet and greet the performers. We happened to be at the right place at the perfect time, when this beautiful elephant walked out! IT WAS AMAZING! She was so close that I could literally reach out and touch her as she walked by. Even Mom was starstruck, until I looked at her and said "the elephant smells yucky". The next best part was getting loaded up on cotton candy, slushies, and fruit punch to watch the show!