Bad breath virus

Don't try to kiss me this week because I have really scanky breath due to a weird virus that is making my gums bleed! My second molars are also coming out which doesn't help my situation. I hate the medicine my parents put on it, but I like playing Dentist.

Me at 2 1/2 years old

I'm very talkative now, and have even started talking a little at school. My favorite question is "What're you doing, Mommy/Daddy?" I love push toys, riding my scooter around in circles, imitating adult activities, putting things I find into my clothes pockets, making music, and singing all the time. I have a pretty good memory because I remember lots of song lyrics. I even remember events from when I was way younger. For example, even though I haven't been to Gymboree since I was 1 years old, I still yell out "Gymbo!" every time we pass by it. I like dancing by swinging my little butt back & forth. I'm still relatively petite at 25.4 pounds and 34 3/4" tall. But I eat well and have come to love green beans, zucchini, nectarine, peaches, salad with balsamic dressing, and my current favorite Frosted Mini-Wheats. Whenever Mommy gets up from the floor, I say "I help you" and pull Mommy by her her arm to help her stand. I like smelling everything, so I'm always asking my parents "I smell!" and after I take a sniff, my response is always "Hmm!" I still like to watch people and events from far away, and don't like attention. I adore playing and showering with Daddy, but whenever I'm feeling bad no one replaces Mommy.

As you can see in this picture, I like wearing Mommy's wedding tiara. It's fun being pretty too.

New playmate, with strings attached

I have a new playdate friend named Chloe. She is a neighbor, is just 2 weeks younger than me, and has got all sorts of great cool toys at her house. The only catch is that Mommy leaves after she takes me there, and a babysitter named Sara plays with both Chloe and I. I feel deceived because I am so elated when Mommy picks me up after school when I haven't seen her all day, and then she turns around and leaves me again! No one can take the place of Mommy, so I cry that I want to go shopping, to the meeting, or whatever it is that Mommy does when she leaves me. Being with her doing the most mundane tasks is still in my mind more enjoyable than doing anything "fun" without her! I've been crying "I want my Mommy!" a lot because I don't like this new situation. The only thing that has helped Sara calm me down is reasoning. She tells me that me wailing is not going to make Mommy come any faster, and may possibly delay her return. That made sense to me. See, I'm intelligent!

I did well!

My fourth overnight without my parents went well, reports Pawpaw (Mommy's Mommy) and Yee-ma (Mommy's sister). After a wee bit of crying upon their departure, I happily played with my babysitters without any issues - much to everyone's relief. I liked jumping off the bottom step, and running around or riding on my scooter in circles. We went out for a walk with my little elephant, and I took care to put sunglasses on it, securing its seatbelt, pulling the sunshade over it, and even cleaning the wheels. I neatly put away my flip flops outside after tapping them against the bench to get the dirt off. I cleaned up my room by putting away my clothes, and showed my babysitters my art.

I checked in with Pawpaw often asking "Mommy & Daddy go to party?", and felt reassured when she said, "Yes, and they are coming back tomorrow." Sometimes I replied back "I want to go to party too".

I stunned Mommy however by waking up when I heard her calling when she thought I'd be fast asleep. She quickly hung up however so I didn't get to talk to her. I am too smart for her!

Happy Independence Day!

School is closed this week, so I got treated with a week full of playdates with Mommy, culminating with a four day weekend with Daddy home. I went to the zoo, Discovery Museum, Play Cafe, pool BBQs, parks, oyster shucking, airport, car dealership, beach, and even baked banana bread (try to figure out which parent is associated with which activity). What a fun week it's been!

Public toilet tour

Mommy keeps asking me if I want to pee on the toilet. But I am usually too preoccupied at home to want to go, so I generally refuse. She has come to bribing me with treats like ice cream, cookies, even TV (!) if I do, but it doesn't help. However, I am very fascinated with public toilets. So everytime we go out, I've been asking Mommy to "pee" about every hour, and Mommy takes me. Mommy has been very patient with me, because she has quite an aversion to public bathrooms, and I have yet to actually pee in a public place! I usually announce I'm done after sitting for about 5 seconds. I just enjoy checking out all the different bathrooms and going through all of the bathroom rituals.
I know that she loves me even if sometimes I drive her crazy.