The Banana: Spring Love Notes

I have been thoroughly enjoying this child the past few weeks.  There is so much to love about age three and a half.

I love how she mothers the cat, her stuffed puppy and her dolls, wrapping them up in blankets and cooing in a motherly, reassuring voice to them as she bounces them around the house.

I love how she has bandaids covering at least part of every single appendage on her body right now.

I love how she gets so excited about “new” clothes I bring down from the attic and has to try them all on immediately.  I love how she remains particularly passionate about shoes, and deciding which shoes to wear is a process that needs to be evaluated many times throughout the day.  She has certain ideas about what shoes should be worn for all sorts of activities.

I love how she drags a toy cell phone along in her dress up purses and calls people all day.  She sounds just like a grown up on the phone.  If there was one toy she probably couldn’t live without, it would be her cell phone.  She makes cell phones out of other things when she can’t find hers.

I love how she isn’t afraid to stand her ground with the big siblings.

I love how she reminds me every single time we park the car that “God loves us because he takes car of us and saves us parking spots.”  I love how she remembers to pray even when I forget, and how she’ll make up all sorts of songs about Jesus and sing them all the time.  When her big sister asks her to be quiet, she says stoutly, “I can’t be quiet!  I’m singing about JESUS!”

I love how she dresses herself and comes up with the most unique combination, and how she believes that socks should NEVER match.

I love how she likes to do whatever the big kids are doing.

I love how popsicles make her enormously happy.

I love that she loves noodles and cheese.

I love how she tells me many times throughout the day, “Mom.  Mom.  Mom.  Mama.  Mama.  I have to tell you something.  Mama.  I have to tell you something.  I really love you a lot.  And I love your baby too.”

I love how she is the most excited of anyone (except maybe me) to see the new baby and hold him.  I love how she kisses my belly.  And gives the baby “love rubs.”

I love that she can spend an hour with me in my office when I have computer work to do writing letters to special people in her life.  (I have a giant stack to mail).

I love the crazy curls in her hair.

I love how she drags “nice blankets” around to snuggle up with.  I even love how she can’t resist interrupting me fifty times when I am trying to read her a book.

I love how she doesn’t mind holding my hand when we’re out for a walk.

I love how she’s always excited to do something, especially going to the grocery store (which I don’t always look at as a joyful experience.)

I love the dandelion bouquets and all the special hugs and snuggles.