Oh, Mandy

I wasn't ready. There came a day not too long ago when I went to my baby's room to get her up from a nap and the baby was not there. In her place stood a grinning, mischievous toddler. I looked around for the baby, but it was clear that the baby had been growing with wit and intelligence, had longer arms and legs, and a had a curiosity for the world around her.

Mandy's favorite things are books. She looks at the pages, wants books read to her, specifically the Foot Book at least 100 times per day.

She also loves being the center of attention and is sucessful at making people laugh with her silly antics.

This new baby cell phone is her favorite toy she received for Christmas, upside down or not. We've already grown quite weary of hearing Elmo sing, "Da, da, da, da, Elmo's world," also at least 100 times per day.

Mandy is so smart and loves to draw too. She knows exactly what to do with this Magna Doodle and gets so irritated when she can't erase it by herself. I have another extremely independent child. Her temper is quick to come and we've seen glimpses of her stubborn side.

This age of discovery and curiosity and growing as a toddler is my favorite. I fall more in love with this child every day and I didn't know it was possible to love her more. She's the most loving child I've ever encountered, giving hugs and kisses out freely. I joke that I should charge for her hugs, people love them so much. She's often singing chant-like tunes as she goes -- her melodies, or lack there of, are beautiful to my ears. Mandy is also one of the most active little ones around and is running and moving all the live long day when she isn't sleeping (even in her bed it sounds like a bouncy house as she is putting herself to sleep by jumping and falling all over in her bed, thumb and fore finger in her mouth and blanket tucked under her chin).  

This post is a shameless "I love my kid, isn't she cute?" post -- like it or not. I am so incredibly blessed by this child and just a bit of the joy I find in her bubbled out today. :)