Guess who found my old Barbie play makeup?
My mom put some on Anna first (above picture) and then Anna went to town on herself (below). She is all girl, and was so excited to beautify herself.
I sometimes have a hard time believing that Anna is as young as she. She is really well-behaved (most of the time), speaks so clearly, and amazes me with the way her little brain works. I have been keeping an ongoing email and text messages of the cute little things she has said, but I want them documented here on the blog for a more permanent memory. There "Anna-isms" stretch back over the past year or so.
October, 2011 (barely 3 years old):
While watching The Little Mermaid at Tuacahn, Anna was a little frightened of Ursula, the evil octopus. She snuggled into me, and then exclaimed,
"I don't like her at all...but she sure has a cute dress!"
Ah, my little fashionista.
October, 2011 (3 yrs):
While driving home from Logan on Halloween night, Anna spotted the moon.
"Look at the moon, Mommy! It's hiding behind a cloud. Maybe he is scared of Halloween."
November, 2011 (age 3 yrs 1 month):
Tucking Anna into bed, I asked for the usual bedtime routine.
Mommy: "Can I have a hug and a kiss?"
Anna: "How about a nice handshake?"
Seriously??
November, 2011 (age 3 yrs 1 month):
Anna was practicing writing her letters. I recognized the "A", but the others were questionable.
Mommy: "What letters are you drawing?"
Anna: "A...B....C....dot com."
Ah, the internet. Things have changed a bit since I was a kid.
December, 2011 (age 3 yrs 2 months):
This one came from Grandma Joyce. They were playing a game.
Grandma: "That's not how you play the game, Anna."
Anna: "I play a different way. Watch...and learn!"
Crazy kid.
January, 2012 (age 3 yrs 3 months):
Watching Anna play with her babies, I was feeling a little sad that my own baby was growing up so fast.
Mommy: "Anna, what happened to MY tiny little baby?"
Anna, exasperated: "You do not miss your tiny baby, Mommy. I growed up. Get over it."
March, 2012 (age 3 yrs 5 months):
A random conversation that my daughter and I had.
Anna: "This is my explanation."
Me: "Ok...what are you explaining?"
Anna: "Nothing! It's just my explanation.
Me: "Okay...I don't understand."
Anna: "It's just part of my collection!"
Me: "Your collection of what?"
Anna, exasperated: "Words! That's all!"
Whatever.
March, 2012 (age 3 yrs 5 months):
I can't even remember what we were talking about, but I said something to Anna. She turned to me and said, "You're smarter than you look, Mommy."
Um...thanks??
April, 2012 (age 3 yrs 6 months):
One day Anna was being really silly and dancing around the house.
Mommy: "Anna, you are crazy!"
Anna: "I am not crazy, Mommy. It's genious."
July, 2012 (age 3 yrs 9 months):
Anna: "Mommy, what can I do when I grow up?"
Mommy: "Anna, you can do whatever you want when you grow up." I was thinking along the lines of she could be whatever she wanted to be, etc.
Anna: "Can I drink beer?"
Mommy, unable to contain the laughter: "Sure, Anna...when you are 21."
October, 2012 (age 4 yrs):
I had asked Anna multiple times to clean up her toys, and finally had to get mad at her. She cried and sulked, but did clean up her stuff. She came to me a few minutes later with a few alligator tears in her eyes and said, "Mommy, I'm sorry that I acted that way. It's all my fault. Will you still be my Mommy?"
Oh, melt my heart...and make me feel like a crappy parent all at the same time.
Lately the biggest thing with Anna has been her multiple personalities. Whenever she is in trouble or is asked to do something that she doesn't want to do, "Anna" will go away and another personality (usually "Princess" or "Tiana") will take over. For example, a few months ago Anna had to take medicine for her swimmer's ear infection. She threw a fit and did not want to take the medicine. After fighting with her for a few minutes, Anna walked out of the room, stopped crying, and then walked back into the room with a smile on her face. "Anna is in the other room, crying. I am Princess, and I will take the medicine." The first time she did this, I was shocked. I kept asking my friends who are parents if this is normal behavior, but all I got was "Yeah, that's a little odd." I really hope that this is just Anna's method of getting her way while still being a compliant child...she really doesn't like me to get mad at her!
There are so many little things she has said that I wish I would have documented. I always think I will remember them, but unless I write them down, I just don't. She is just at such a fun, tender age right now, and there is not a day that goes by that she doesn't melt my heart and make me laugh. Despite of the few times that she is defiant and slightly manipulative, I want to freeze time and keep her little forever!
