Mina 33 Months

"Can I carry you?"

This is you, talking to your baby sister- who is 2/3 your size. And you want to pick her up and carry her around. You want to hold her and tickle her and you want to make her laugh. You want to wash her hair and feed her food and snuggle in bed with her. I like to imagine you will always be best friends.

January was a very trying month at the Bradshaw house, I hope you are still young enough not to remember. Jovie was in the hosptial with RSV. You also had the virus, though not as bad and you did not need to be hospitalized. I stayed with Jovie for 9 days. You would come visit and my heart would shred. I could keep it together until I saw you. Of course, you were not phased by the surroundings or the weird tubes and things all over Jovie. In fact, one night we were anxiously awaiting a visit from you and Daddy- I wanted to feel your warm little body in my arms, bury my head in your tossle of curls... And you come in the door and it is like a burst of sunshine. I am waiting there, arms open wide. You look at me and run straight to the crib and say JO-VAAAAAYYYYYY!!! And you giggle, then she giggles. You press your face against the bars dividing you and say "Jovie don't grab my nose" and then you let out a thrill of emotion.

Now we are all home and there has been some readjustment. Jovie got sick again, and both of your schedules were so out of whack that we are JUST NOW getting back to normal. You had been acting out quite a bit- giving us a horrifying preview of 3 year-old tantrums... But now that your sleep schedule is back to normal and we are all together again, things have mellowed.

That is not to say that you do not still get your share of time outs. And now you say things that make my heart turn inside out. You said "Mamma you broke my heart." OMG OUCH. Did you hear that sound? It was my internal organs rearranging so that there will be room for the new heart I will have to generate. You also told your Daddy "I am just a little girl" and your Auntie Lola, while offering you lunch, was affronted with "You have got to be kidding me."

Where do you learn these things? I blame your father. It is just easier that way.

You know those commercials where a mom gives her kid something he or she really wanted- be it a sandwich, a pet turtle, or whatever, and the kid says "Thanks Mom." It sounds so cheesy and unreal. Except you do it- and it does not sound forced. It sounds natural. You ask for a glass of milk, I give you one and you chime "thanks mom" in the most charming tone.

Lastly, we need to recount all of your animal names:
Billy the Spider
Minka the Monkey
Purple and Ooof (the monster dolls you and jovie were given)
cocoa (brown bear)
blueberry (blue bear)
Vellie the Mouse
Carrot the Rabbit
Gella the stray cat

I love your creativity and I love you. Lots and lots.