Plan B

If the whole ballet career thing doesn't work out, then I suppose there's always singing. 

Her Debut: 

This was probably about a year ago. She's still trying to decide whether or not lyrics really matter, but she definitely has the crooning with moody, crinkled forehead look down. And based on the fact that she made sure to put on one of my headbands before getting in front of the camera, she obviously understands that being a singer is just as much about fashion as it is talent. Oh dear...maybe a Pop star in the making? (pun intended)

A few months later, and you can see that she has calmed down some from her rowdy young days. As she matures she's really starting to find her own style, even if it is a bit counter-culture. The first song to become a favorite: Trust and Obey.

And that takes us to now. Her current song of choice is Amazing Grace, which means that I get to sing it with her at least twice a day before every nap and every bedtime. Good thing it's such a classic. She knows all the words and usually reminds us to continue on to "Twas grace" when we dare try to stop at just one verse.  

Little Ballerina

This is why I love girls...

The video is only a couple of months old and I already about cry when I watch it. What am I going to do when she's all grown up forever?

Hedgehog Soup

And now for some Poppy quotes...

Dinnertime:

Last night I made tortellini soup with little round slices of chicken sausage. Poppy wanted to "help," so I held her up to see the soup. She got very excited and exclaimed, "Hedgehogs!" while pointing at the stove. I was a little confused.

"Where are the hedgehogs, Poppy?"

She pointed again, more insistent this time, "Hedgehogs in soup! Right there!"

It finally dawned on me that of course she meant to say sausage...because they sound so much alike. "Actually, those are called sausages."

Her answer to that: "Ohhh...ostriches!"

Our meals are very exotic around here.


Bedtime:

As a two-year old, Poppy is now in the egocentric, everything-is-or-should-be-hers stage. And as the exemplary spiritual leader that he is, Bry has been trying to explain to her that nothing is really ours. He's been saying things like "No, Poppy, that cookie isn't yours. It's God's, but God is sharing it with you because he loves you. That's why we should share with other people. To show them that we love them." Yes, he is very noble and I applaud his efforts.

Well, last night, Poppy was not at all pleased about going to bed in her room and so in the middle of her story-praying-singing routine, she started saying, "It's not my bed!" over and over again. Not knowing what she was talking about, we finally just left her in her bed, hoping she would sort it out and fall asleep. But a couple of minutes later I heard her door open and went to investigate. She was in our bed, all snuggly with the covers up to her chin.

"Poppy, why are you in our room?"

"That's not my bed!" she said frantically while pointing in the direction of her room.

"Who's bed is it?" I asked.

"That's God's bed over there!"

We tried to tell her that God would be happy to let her use the bed, but she would have none of it. I think our "spiritual training" might be creating a monster.

Bits of 2012

-January-

Fur vests and window-gazing

-February-

Mastering the neighborhood playground

-March-

Date night at the Symphony

-April-

Weekend at Papa and Nana's with Aunt Javon and Uncle Nick 

-May-

A beautiful wedding for Sam and Kait

-June-

Discovering Japan 

 -July-

A new addition to our world on the way

-August-

Family trip to the ocean

-September-

Photo shoot for the new two-year-old

-October-

Time away for a girl and her boy

-November-

Christmas photos and big Poppy hugs

-December-

A first snowman with her Nana

 And so with that, we kiss 2012 goodbye...

And say hello to a brand new year!