What she's doing.

Its been awhile since I wrote about all the fun stuff Miss June Apple is getting into these days, so I thought I'd provide an update.

Our gal is such a hoot and a handful. Its her way or the highway, which often means her way or devastating, tragic tears. I often can't pee (which, by the way I have to do every 5 minutes) without her collapsing in tears at the audacity of leaving her side and is all smiles and giggles upon my return. This, suffice to say is all at once endearing and annoying. But, a sign of a secure attachment (more on this in an upcoming post...)! Anyhoo, Amos is convinced I need to train her better, and I know better than to try to train/tame a toddler. As we speak, she is off playing in another room, reading to the dog, but on HER TERMS. She loves to play and read by herself, and does so often, but she must make the ventures away on her own.


Amos and I are convinced she thinks she is an animal (I know, I know, she IS an animal), as she makes monkey, dog, cat or bear noises anytime she sees a picture of herself. I also believe that she thinks that all people (as well as her favorite stuffed animals) are called "babies" because that's what she says anytime she sees a group of people, pictures of people, or hugs all her animals before bed.


She's still rockin' 8 teeth, although she is working hard on a bottom molar.

She loves to put on necklaces, and I tell her, "The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize." 


She likes any and all music and when she hears any tune at all, including church bells, she throws up both her hands, starts snapping (really), and bobs and weaves her head. Apparently, those church bells are her jam.


Current words (or at least a form of them, that she attaches to the correct object) include:
Hat, Down, Rosco, Julie, Mama, Papa, Puppy, Kitty, Bear, Milk, Crackers, Bananas, Bath, Night-night, Mice, Peas, Tofu, Cheese, Berries, Apple, Juju, Hot, Eyes, Nose, Mouse, Hello, This, Hambone, and of course Babies.


Speaking of babies, we are not fooling ourselves into thinking we can actually explain the complexity of the upcoming arrival of her brother. She does loooooove babies and loves to point them out in public and books, but to try to explain that there is a baby in Mama's tummy is a bit too...abstract. Hell, Amos didn't really believe it was true the first time I was pregnant until he saw me push June Apple out of my body. And then I think he was like, "Well, I guess she was right." So June might not totally get it, but I can say, "Where's Baby Brother?" And she immediately lifts up my shirt, pats my belly, and gives it a good ol' raspberry kiss (which probably terrifies Baby Brother). Then again, I sometimes ask this question and she pats her own belly. Ah well. She'll get it soon enough.


She's not walking on her own yet, although she walks every well while holding one or both of our hands, cruising along furniture, or pushing her wheely bug around. However, you take away that security and down she goes, back to crawling. Her pediatrician said that she has the muscle tone and ability to walk, she is just "timid." Timid is not a word I would use to describe her, but perhaps in this area, she is. I'm not too terribly concerned about it, as she seems to have always done things in her own sweet time, and is never worse for the wear. Of course, I do find myself trying to "force" her to walk, by doing cruel things like dressing her in long dresses or putting her down on concrete sidewalks, that make crawling awkward, so she is forced off her knees. The nurse at my doctors office said that her parents "tricked" her in to walking by having her hold on to wooden spoons, that they help, while she walked and then letting go of the spoons, while she was none the wiser, walking alon, hands on spoons, raised in the air, all on her own. Of course, I know better than to force Miss June to do anything she's not ready to, as she will, as with all babies, do things when she's damned well ready!

She loves to read and be read to. Her current favorite books include, "Skip to My Lou," "Olivia," and "Mousie Love." All of these books have animals, which I think is why she loves them. Our little animal whisperer (and hopefully never animal hoarder).


Truth be told, she is the sweetest, funniest, silliest, fiercest gal around (and I know a lot of gals).