Her vibrant red hair catches many admirers and I personally adore the curls. She is tall for her age and is the only one of our five kids to receive the green eyes that both Ryan and I have.
She has moved from fast walking (she never really did the toddler thing) to a marching run like she is heading for the white house and is going to run the place (which might not be a bad idea...).
Her haphazard ways lead to many a fall, but if you aren't watching closely you would never know it as she doesn't even grimace most of the time! Her toughness comes in very convenient in regards to her newest sport: tackling her stocky and much stronger, brother M. He will reciprocate and she giggles to no end. It is kind of like watching two very tiny sumo-wrestlers. They will roll around and then get up and make a run for each other! It makes for great amusement...honestly, it is hysterical.
And this girl talks. And you had better listen (she will keep going until she is acknowledged). If anything begins with the letter 'B' she says it. Baby, ball, belly-button, bear...When she is hungry it is 'num-num'. She calls mom and dad very particularly and insistently. S calls her sister J and says 'tickle' while trying to tickle your belly button or toes. And yes, she has pulled my shirt up in public MANY times to find my belly-button. And if she takes a liking to you, you had better watch out or your shirt will be next!
Climbing is her new favorite past-time. Couches, tables, chairs, you name it! Yes, she is even working on her crib railing.
She relishes being the center of attention and her ability to ascend to new heights really enables her in this area. We may all be comfortably relaxing on the couch when suddenly up goes S onto the coffee table for a round of dancing. Or there is the pleasant game of Sorry on the dining room table in which no one notices her scaling a chair and progressing up onto the game table until pieces are flying off the game board. I'm sure she just needed a better view (those pieces ended up in her mouth by mistake, of course)!
And now S has discovered the stool! Isn't it just so cute!
Never mind, mom. Back to work.
Oh and lets not leave out how she found this new trick!!!!
What mom? My hands were dirty!
"Honestly, I didn't cause a flood in your kitchen"
Don't get the wrong idea: she gets in trouble for these things. MANY times. Remember how she used to bob for apples or wash her feet in the dog bowl? Well, it took a good, consistent two months of serious child training to kick that habit. So, now we move on to new battles until she finally realizes it isn't worth it.
And if you don't truly feel scared for me and my sanity yet let me show you how little fear she has.
Now, I have had four children prior to this firecracker.
I tend to think my other children are rather normal.
Typically, when a lawn mower is revved up in the presence of a young child they are at least a bit unnerved (sometimes, completely frightened). At least that is (or was) my frame of reference...
Oh, no, not our youngest. Why not run toward a running lawn mower?
Of course! Why didn't I think that sounded like fun?
Add in some outstretched arms with waving hands and loud calls of 'dada' and you have the complete picture.
She loves lawn mowing day!
Seriously, she will happily sit here for a whole hour grinning from ear to ear! And yes, I go get as much done as possible in this precious, albeit bizarre, sixty minutes. Ryan thinks this whole phenomenon is hilarious and great fun. Can you tell it scares me to death? It's not the lawn mower that terrifies me, but, rather, what it tells me about her lack of inhibitory tendencies.
I have a very hard time relaying the personality of S to people without inevitably giving the wrong impression. Either they think I am over-dramatic or they look at me as if I don't know how to get my children under control.
But really, it is OK if people don't get it.
What I don't get is "really, God, I am supposed to protect and lead this one? Me? I'm the non-baby-proofing, let them eat dirt kind of mom."
As a friend said to me recently, "Isn't parenting crazy: We have no control over what kind of children we get, a lot of the choices they will make and so many other things. And yet, we have so much responsibility!"
So, I run the race God gave me to the best of my ability with a lot of His help. And right now it is a looooong SPRINT with many blind curves.
5 comments:
Oh, I believe you, because we are right there with you! Really, J (almost 15 months) is the SAME! In fact, Ted and I were just talking the other day about how S and J seem so similar. J is also a climber, is extremely fast, and has no fear. She also knows about the stool and pulls stuff off the fridge, counters, and table on a regular basis. I am constantly pushing in chairs or picking up stray pencils, pens, markers, etc, but she still finds a way. You made me thankful we don't have a water dispenser in our fridge, though! :-)
Because I know you are a good mom, I had to chuckle at "busy S".
I'm sure you understand the mom's who have said, "only by the grace of God, are you going to live to be an adult"!
The pictures are priceless!
You can be sure I will watch my shirt, if she likes me!
I would say that she knows that her dada will protect her, so she runs to him (may this be true in the spiritual).
All I can think is, "your reward will be great in heaven"!
:-)
PS: I will send you a link, so that maybe you can replace this broken dishes.
You and me both Heather, you and me both.
LOVE to hear about little S!!! She and G should get together...maybe not on second thought! Was I the friend who you quoted at the end?? If not, this is really funny, because I said EXACTLY the same thing recently!!!
Hope to talk soon...
Yes Melssa, it was you!
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