Annie Girl

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Here is a picture of Annie sleeping (having her nap at Star Lake this summer). I’ve included it here as evidence that she does, in fact, sleep.

However, that wasn’t the case at 4:45 this morning. It is now 6:45 and after 2 hours of trying to put her back to sleep, then encouraging her to play on her own, and then finally getting up and colouring together on her easel, I’ve succumbed and turned on the Kleine Dodo DVD about a little monkey. At least it is in German so I can pretend it is educational.

So I thought I should write about some of the things I love about Annie…it is important to remember these things at times like this.

First of all, I’m having so much fun observing Annie’s love of language. The other day I asked her to schooch over so I could snuggle with her on the bed. Well, that was the favourite word for days. “Schooch over Mommy…I’m going to schooch over…Diego (Susi’s dog) schooch off my foot.” I bought Annie some sand toys and she asked what one of them was. I went blank for a second, so I called it a ‘digger’ before I pulled ‘hoe’ out of my addled brain. I must have said hoe eighteen time, and digger only once. But let’s face it, digger is much more fun to say. So digger it is ever more. And there are some words that I don’t even want to correct because they are so cute (probably not the best parenting advice, but there you go.) “Sunscream” just cracks me up every time she says it.

I also love listening to Annie reading books. She mashes up words she remembers from the story, with pictures she sees on the page, with other events in her life and reads the whole story out loud. Sometimes I recognize my intonations, which makes me chuckle. Every book starts with “Once upon a time”, which is interesting since I don’t actually think she owns any books that start with that traditional phrase. Must be a daycare thing.

My heart is warmed when Annie sends back one of my phrased at me. I found some desired raspberries in the fridge and received a “Good job Mommy” as my reward. I’m sure there will be lots of words that I will regret forever when a future teenage Annie starts talking back, so I’ll enjoy it while I can.

Ah, now that I am writing it I could go on and on. I’m feeling much better. Just one last thing then. Of couse my favourite Annie moment is when we are snuggling at bedtime saying our goodnights to all of the important people in her life. At the end, I kiss her and say “I love you Annie” and she says “I love you Mommy” right back.