It seems like just yesterday that we were bringing her home from the hospital. I remember it so clearly... We stopped off at Safeway and I sat in the car and waited with Annabelle while Nick ran in to fill my prescriptions. It was my first time truly alone with our new baby and I was very nervous. I kept touching her lip and putting my finger under her nose to make sure she was breathing. She was so still, so peaceful. I remember taking this picture with my cell phone while I was in the car in that parking lot waiting.If someone had told me that three years later my quiet, peaceful little daughter would become this loud, rambunctious, mad little creature, I would have told them that they were insane. But alas, they would have been right.
Annabelle is quite mad, and she is very, very silly. She loves to make goofy voices and do imitations, and she has a wild imagination. She also loves to pretend... This week she has been pretending to be "Annabelle Puppy" and has been calling me "Mommy Puppy". When I ask her a question I'll sometimes get a random bark and a nod of the head as a response.Most times Annabelle is extremely outgoing and makes friends very easily. She has no problem going up to a group of kids at the park and saying hello... Even when they are 16.
She still has her obsession with balls, she could even be considered a collector of sorts. At last count she had over 50 of them... All types, all sizes, I think she now has 4 full sized basketballs and 6 soccer balls.
Annabelle loves to paint and draw. She loves play dough, picture books, musical instruments, singing and dancing. She is particularly fond of "noodle dancing" aka dancing in the nude. Whenever she is getting undressed she asks if she can be a noodle, and do a little noodle dance. (More evidence to support her father's theory that she will someday become a stripper). She loves an audience.
Annabelle is becoming more grown up every day. She can carry on a conversation and is even getting a bit sarcastic. She has been known to throw out the occasional wise comment and eye roll every now and again. She can be very dramatic at times.She can also be very sweet and caring. If anyone is upset she is usually the first one to inquire as to what is wrong. She usually follows up with a big hug and a pat on the back in an attempt to console them. She likes to tell you to be careful, and to not slip or choke or fall down the stairs, not in a bossy way, but rather a cute and genuinely concerned for your well being sort of way.
She loves her little brother, and although they do get into the occasional "tug of war" over toys, for the most part they get along really well. Whenever she is not with Jack she gets very concerned as to where he is and what he is doing.
Although Annabelle likes to act like a big girl, in many ways she is still such a baby. She loves her crib and doesn't want to move into a big girl bed because she feels the crib is just the right size. She still uses her Binky, which is upside down 90% of the time. She can't go anywhere without her Blanky (same ducky blanket in the infant picture above) and she refuses to use the potty.
I love the fact that she mispronounces certain words: Vanilla is "Balella", Yellow "Yeyyo" Upside "Up-spied". There are a few others that I can't think of right now.Her Daddy nicknamed her "Mini Madness" 2 years ago and she has very much lived up to the name... And we wouldn't want her any other way!
*Annabelle had her 3 year Dr. appointment on Feb. 7th- she weighs 30lbs and is 38 inches tall. The Dr. preformed a series of different tests to see how well Annabelle knows her letters, numbers, colors, shapes, and a few other random items... She got them all right, and she also passed an eye test.
Unable to take the noise, I mean singing, any longer, Jack retreats to the kitchen
OH BOY! You brought presents for meeeeeee!!
