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I realize that most of my posts have been about the boy, so I'll take a different tack and write about the bean. She's been changing by leaps and bounds these days, and most of our conversations have a surprise new word or two in them. Yesterday she repeated things, followed Sam around, and was frustrated by things she couldn't seem to communicate - today, she has opinions and ideas... directions and demands.. and her own ideas of how we should spend our day. For example, our new game, "watch out for the Bean". I don't really know how it began, but at some point she was standing up against the kitchen island, then ran over to the couch at full toddler speed and jumped on me - and when I saw her coming I shouted to Sam (who was sitting next to me) "watch out for the Bean!".
Since then, every time she is bored and sees me sitting on the couch she'll say "watch out the Bean?" and line up at the starting point against the island, waiting for me to recoil in mock terror and scream "aaaah! Watch out for the Bean!". It's easy to get her started too... no matter what she is doing, all I have to do is whisper "watch out for the Bean" and she is off and running. Unfortunately, the game often ends in an "america's funniest home videos" type of moment, either with her splayed out on the floor with Stella standing on her back, or me doubled over in pain from her accidentally kicking me in the testicles.
This is a stupid example I know, but the point is, she is suddenly turning into a little person, and it's amazing to watch. Sam is still the leader of the pack, and she'll gladly follow him into anywhere, but chances are she is following him to say "no Sammy, stop...." There are moments when I am stunned by the things she does, and amazed by the pieces of us I see in her. There are certainly days that I am overwhelmed by work, kids and dogs... but I have discovered that I am hopelessly in love, would give her my only cracker, carry her until my arms give out, and live only on the breath she is finished with... although, if she continues to play "Watch out for the Bean", I might need to buy a cup if I ever plan to have another child...
Above, a picture of my Bean with a mouth full of potato chips, which incidentally, she stole from me...
