10 Things

This post is more for me. I've been struggling lately to find the time to write in my journal things about my girls and how they've grown, etc. A friend suggested just writing 10 things each month I love about my girls. It also helps when you get frustrated, she said. So...for my benefit, here's a list of 10 things I love about my girls. Made me smile. Guess this works for now as a "write-up" about the different stages my girls are going through. Now let's see if I can get a journal entry written about the 10 things I love and hate about Singapore. Ha ha. :)

2 April, 2013

10 Things I love about my girls

Olivia, 3.5 years

1.       How she calls her sister, “sweetie heart” and tries to teach Annika “no no,” or “hot.” She’s very protective.

2.       How she does her ballet hands and feet. Legs crossed, one hand up.

3.       How she wears princess costumes outside, complete with magic wand and crown.  The next day, though, she wears “matching” clothes and tells me that they match. Sometimes it’s all one color.

4.       How she fills up bags and carts with things she wants to carry with her outside. We had a playgroup and one of my friends left a little grandma cart she was giving away. Olivia found the cart, hauled it upstairs and has been emptying boxes and bins to put inside it.

5.       How she says “eeeee” when she brushes her teeth.

6.       How she asks “why” all the time.

7.       When she prays, we all have to go in our prayer order. Daddy kneels on the right, Olivia in the middle and Mom on the left. We all then have to pray. Olivia said “thank you” for her dance class today.

8.       How she loves “grainey” and baby looney tunes and has figured out how to use the mouse to flip through YouTube channels. Her favorite songs are “stronger,” and “moves like jagger,” ha ha.

9.       How she draws. She’s figured out how to draw people with longs legs and arms and ears.

10.   How she gives Eskimo kisses and butterfly kisses.

11.   How she crawls in our bed EVERY night at around 1-2 a.m. She’s so stealthy, although sometimes you hear this pitter-patter of feet. She goes to Dad’s side of the bed, pulls herself up and tucks herself under her arm.

Annika, 13.5 months

1.       Her crinkle nose. She has learned how to blow her nose and crinkle at the same time.

2.       She will pull at my hat, pull it down to hide my face and then play peek-a-boo. Usually she will plant a kiss on my mouth. A big, open-mouthed kiss. Annika is a good kisser. When she wakes up at night, she will also kiss you on the mouth.

3.       Raisins. This girl loves raisins. She will lunge for raisins in the grocery aisle.

4.       Shoes. This girl loves shoes. She will go and grab her shoes from the closet, walk over to you, scrunch her little bum down, sit and gesture at you to put her shoes on.

5.       How she smiles so big and will grab your face and look right into your eyes.

6.       How she waves at strangers. Annika will wave to anyone on a train or in a taxi. She will also clap her hands because she’s realized people think it’s cute.

7.       Her hugs. Annika is a cuddle bug. She loves to put her little head on your shoulder and snuggle right on up.

8.       Her anger. Annika is pretty mellow, but she does have a tendency to hit and bite her sister. It’s kind of funny, but something we need to work on.

9.       How she loves corners. Annika will hide behind doors, go into the shower and shut the door, etc.

10.   How well she listens. Annika is good at telling you what she wants and listening to your commands. She knows when daddy comes home and will run to him.

11.   How she ends up in our bed every night around midnight. She gets squirmy in the morning, but will settle back into sleep, tucked under mommy’s left arm, slow soft breathing.