The Sweetest Girl (Lately)

Mallory has been pretty sweet lately. She talks to herself all the time, and I usually have no idea what she is saying - but she is definitely a talker. BJ had her repeat every letter of the alphabet three times the other night. Most letters were pretty understandable. She really loves to learn and draw and figure things out.

One of my favorite things she does these days is throw her hands out to the side questioningly when you say "Where is ____?" If I say "Where are your shoes?" she will open her arms with her palms pointed to the sky while she looks around. So funny.

She also likes to hug...finally! A hug is also accompanied by her saying "Awww!"

I decided to buy her a new, expensive Little Giraffe brand blankie as hers has become a tattered rag. They stopped making the one she has because it falls apart so easily. It has a silky side and a velvetty side. The velvetty side looks like a ripped, disentegrating spider web. The new one is a little more sturdy. She has accepted it into her life, but has not yet fallen in love with it. I'm hoping in time the rag can dissappear and new blankie can take its place. I tried to go cold turkey last weekend and hide the rag blankie, but she cried all weekend saying "I blank!" (code for "I want my blankie) over and over. When I got the old one back out of hiding for her, she said "bye bye" and threw the new one on the ground.

The past few nights have been stormy, but ole Mall isn't scared one bit. When it was thundering and we were cowering in the hall as a possible tornado went over our house, she picked up her book that has sound effect buttons and repeatedly pushed the thunder button.

Concerning baby dolls and stuffed animals, she really has never been interested. I got her a basic soft body with hard arms, legs and head doll. She will pick it up and rock it for a minute before she slams it on the ground. She will return to cover it up with its own tiny blankie showing she cares slightly. The other night I tucked baby doll into Mallory's bean bag chair in the living room at bedtime. I said "kiss baby", and she did. Then I said "say night night baby." So she picked up baby, slammed it on the ground, and declared "Night Night!"

We also got some new bathing suits!