Monday, Monday, Monday

OK, so these photos weren't taken today, but maybe it was A monday. Not really sure. Only thing I know is that Jane is stinking cute.

In honor of my beautiful daughter:

MONDAY TOP TEN:

reasons Jane rules!!

1. Jane rules because she is fast. She runs everywhere. Around the living room, through the kitchen, on the cul-de-sac, and away from me whenever I tell her it is time to put her PJs on. The only time she doesn't run is to her bed to go to sleep.

2. Jane rules because she loves to dance. I may have a little to do with that. We make up songs and boogie together around the living room. She sometimes turns on my clock radio "c'mon mom, fouw me" (um, that means FOLLOW me). She just wiggles and kicks and twists her wrists. I wonder if that is exactly what I look like? Hmmmm.... that's cool. We are totally having fun.

3. Jane is a big cuddler. Sometimes she comes into my bed and cuddles with me on those mornings when we don't really have to be anywhere and I am too lazy to just get up and start the day. She cuddles on the couch. She cuddles on the floor. She even wants to cuddle when buckled into her carseat when I'm driving. "Hold you mom?" "I will hold you when we get home, Jane".

4. Jane rules because she is a copycat. Right now it is really endearing and funny. Notsomuch when she becomes a teenager and just mocks me. But for now, really adorable. I love that she wants to be like me and be around me. Just be careful what you do and say when you have a 2 year old mimic - believe me!

5. Jane self-soothes by sucking her thumb. At two months or so she started sucking on her fist, and then discovered the thumb. The funny part is that it is always in tandem with her other hand on her belly. Now, for babies they have snaps on almost all shirts - the "onesie". Jane would be frustrated all the time trying to get to that danged belly button! So - get this - she recently discovered her "boobies". So what do you think she replaces the belly button with? You guessed it. Truly funny. Again, funny until she becomes a teenager only.

6. Jane is rad because she already loves helicopters. To be fair, she also likes airplanes. I try to explain to her that helicopters are cooler because they have rotating wings that create their own airspeed, AND a helicopter doesn't need a measly ol' runway to land on. We'll see which she lands on that one.

7. Jane rules because the only TV (or "wee-wee" in her vocab) she ever asks for is "hey-cop". "mom, watch heycop wee-wee?" She is referring to my dad's SHOWCOPTERS FROM ABOVE DVD. It was a promotional video they made to get airshows to hire their act. It has two episodes of "Travelin' with the Showcopters" and three seasons of airshow video. It is pretty rad. In fact, leave a comment and I will send you one. Chances are most people reading this are my family and already have one. But if you are a lucky one-off - let me know. You can just email me at malibustacey@sbcglobal.net with your name and address. Seriously, you AND your kids will think it is pretty awesome.

8. Jane rules because she associates poop with candy canes. This is because I have promised her this reward. Now, mostly I just reward Jane with praise and excitement and made-up-on-the-spot-songs about how awesome she is. But this one time she pooped on the potty (sorry for the graphic nature of this here #8, buy y'all parents can relate) and I was so excited for her that I let her have a piece of a candy cane she had been asking for forever. If you meet her and she greets you with "poo poo pah-ee sai say" - just blame me - if you can translate what that even means anyway.

9. Jane rules because she prays to God every night before she goes to bed. We discuss the great blessings of the day, and she wants to pray first. "Gahd, thank you mama, dada, lala, papa, sky, ah-ree. Gahd pray. AAAAYYYY-MEN." It is pretty sweet.

10. Essentially, I am just saying Jane rules. She has her own personality. Counts 1-3-8, and always says that Q is after A-B-C. It is a blast to watch her grow and to be honored enough to be her mom.

Peacefully Yours,

Stacey