Creative Camera

When you're starting to feel frazzled and the troops are getting restless, I've got a little tip for you. Dig out the web cam you got for free with your last computer, install the upgrade for the "Create and Share" software so you can use aforementioned camera with your newer operating system. Curse the fact that the video capture portion of the software is not working. Calm again when you realize an almost 4 year old and a 19 month old can be amused for more than enough time with instant snapshots of themselves.

Over.

And over.

And over.

Brabee

Recently Megan has shed some basic baby-talk. I'm no longer Mama. I am Mommy. Dada is gone. Daddy reigns. She sat one day and began to rattle off our names - roll call. She got to herself. She used to refer to herself as baby, but in an attempt to help move her towards certain behaviors (like going to sleep on her own and giving up bottles) we've convinced her she's no longer a baby. We offered up "little girl." Logan said "big girl" and that one stuck.

She started with that. "Mommy. Daddy. Buh Girl. . ."

Then she stopped.

She, working hard to grasp pronouns but not quite getting it right, will also use "Me" in reference to herself, as in "Me go too." We also call her "Meggie" as one of her many nicknames. When she's feeling feisty she'll mimic the moniker as "Mimi."

She began roll call again. "Mommy. Daddy. Mimi. . . "

She stared at Logan. She knows his name. She can say his name. She still won't. She calls him "Brabah" - brother. She began her drill again.

"Mommy. Daddy. Mimi. Brabee."

It clicked. Word endings. Right there. We, all of us except her adored sibling, had the long 'E' sound. She was determined to right that wrong.

He hates the nickname. I got yelled at for using it. He tried to ignore her when she called him repeatedly. I got down to eye level and told him he ought to be happy she's calling him that because it's her special name just for him because she does love him. He bought it. She's the only one permitted to use it. And use it she does -All. The. Time.

This morning she came over to me and smiled brightly. She pointed to herself. She tried to cross her arms over her chest but she rushes it so she gets one arm up and the other already moving to the last sign - she points at me. The only sign any one ever really showed her and she's learned it well: "I love you." She says it as she does it but she can't really get the word "love" out. Instead she does her gesturing and she says "I. You. Mommy!"

I know what she means though. I hug her and I tell her "I love you too, sweetheart."

She's proud of herself for telling me. She starts her signing again. "I. You. Daddy!" she yells even though Daddy is in other end of the house and not hearing her. I tell her Daddy loves her too.

"I. You. Brabee," she says as she signs and it's clear she does with all her heart. I assure her it's mutual.

She smiles one last time before running off to play. "I. You. Choo choo trains." She heads down the hallway, still loving things - her dolls, her Dora collection, her sippy cup. At least we were first though. And at least she can tell us.

Chatterbox

Megan has moved from words and occasional phrases to bigger phrases and actual sentences. The other night during dinner, she began to slide out of the chair. (She's given up on the booster seat, preferring to mimic her brother in the "big" chair.) Before we could say a thing to her about it, she declared very clearly, "I am all done."

Her current favorite word? Come on, the girl is 18 months old. Her favorite word is "No."

Her favorite phrase? "NO FAIR!"

Easser Bunbun

Megan wasn't sure she liked being up close and personal with Santa. She smiled nicely as long as he was a safe distance. When she got close, she threw herself to the ground and kept whispering "No Santa."

We weren't sure what to expect with the Easter Bunny. She's seen the Old Hare in pictures and in inflatable outdoor decorations. I asked if she wanted to go see him for real. She very enthusiastically said yes. "Me go Easser Bunbun," she told us. Logan, however, wanted no part of the Rabbit. He was quite happy to hear we could take Megan the day he was with his grandparents for his sleepover.

The line was short yet very slow. Megan was getting anxious. She wanted down to see her furry friend. When finally released she walked up to him, all smiles, and pointed at him. She said softly, "Easser Bunbun." She gave him high fives. We held off putting her on his lap until the camera gal was ready to do her thing. Megan, kept holding her arms up to the Bunny. We realized later she was asking him to pick her up. I sat her on his lap. She cuddle in. She talked to him. She laughed at him. She rubbed his hands. She looked at the camera and smiled sweetly. She cried when we took her down so the next child could have a turn.

Luckily for Megan, the camera girl had the camera tipped to far down. We needed to take a second set of photos. Megan was more than happy to comply. She climbed up, she snuggled in. She was determined to not deal with the camera if she could avoid it. She’d rather talk to Bunbun. The end result was priceless:



I asked her later if she liked visiting the Easter Bunny. She smiled and nodded. "Easser Bunbun, Me cheese-ah!"