Snippets of Cute

Claire is playing with the toy phone. She puts it up to her ear and says, "Hi!" Her intonation is very similar to mine, when I say, "Hi," on the phone.

***

Mary Grace is about to smack Claire on the head with a puzzle. I take the puzzle away, because I've already explained that we don't hit people and warned her that I'd take it away if she didn't quit threatening Claire with it. She says, "No, Mommy, it's not appropriate to take things away from people."

I am not even kidding.

What else could I say, but, "Way to internalize the rules, kiddo, however it is appropriate for Mommy to take things away from you when you're about to hit your sister with them, you little smarty pants."

***

We walked over to the ice cream shop last night. The girls rode in the wagon (which has straps so they don't fall out, just like a carseat every kids' product we own. MG rode in front facing backward, and Claire rode in the back, facing forward, so they were facing each other. BJ and I were talking, and didn't notice right away that they were both cracking up. We looked back and Mary Grace was "beeping" Claire's nose, and making her giggle and giggle.

Claire laughs more for Mary Grace than she does for anyone else.

***

Mary Grace is suddenly obsessed with pregnancy and babies. She nurses her dolls. She'll say, "He eats from my breast," while holding a doll under her shirt, which cracks me up. Just a couple of days ago she started putting dolls (and "guys") under her shirt. "My baby is in my tummy, Mommy!" We have a couple of friends who are pregnant, but we didn't see any of them at the same time that she started doing this. I just don't get it, but it's totally cute.

***

Claire has learned to back down the stairs, and to back off of high furniture (the couch, the bed, etc.). We remind her to "go down safely" when she does this. Mary Grace is in on the coaching act, saying, "Go down safely, Claire! Go down safely!"

***

Whenever we see something cute, Mary Grace will adopt this softer, baby talking voice and say, "Ohhh... He's so cute." I need to get that one on video, because it is just darling. She's getting so big.