Confession: I have a thing for 18-24 month-olds. They enchant me. They delight me. Frankly, I find them absolutely irresistible. I consider this age to be the sweet spot between babyhood and terrible two-dom (or terrible three-dom, as the case may be). Their cheeks and thighs still have just enough extra chub to make you think they are still babies, and yet their personalities are absolutely exploding out of their miniature bodies as a reminder that they really are becoming their own little people after all.
There is, of course, one specific specimen within this age range that I am particularly smitten with at the moment. She's still little enough for me to carry around on my hip, but big enough to have recently perfected the art of jumping (a skill of which she is very pleased with herself about). She has a vocabulary far beyond her age but with all the precious mispronunciations of one just figuring out her own voice. She's old enough to know how to manipulate me with the slight tilt of her head and the widening of her big brown eyes, and young enough for me to give in. Every time.
But tell me how I am supposed to resist a little girl who calls her big sister Honey? The girls play "family" together multiple times a day and more often than not Claire plays the role of Mommy. Ella is one of her children who she affectionately refers to as Honey. As I am getting ready in the morning I often hear tidbits of their play drifting up the stairs: Claire calling to Ella, "Come on Honey!" or "Didder [Dinner] Honey!" When the roles are reversed and Ella becomes Mom, Claire doesn't always get the memo. Today I heard Ella exclaim in frustration, "Claire, I'm not the honey!"
Also irresistible?
The way she is always sticking out her tongue.
When I look over and catch her pretending to use a crayon as lipstick. (I am so curious as to how she learns these things. I don't even wear lipstick...)
The way she lays her Olivia dolls (or other babies) on a throw pillow in the living room, carefully covers her up with a tiny blanket, whispers "night", and gives her a loud kiss.
Her signature dance move: lifting one leg up in the air (dying to get this on video).
When she crosses her arms tightly across her body and dramatically declares herself "coooode [cold]!"
The way she always pushes the sleeves of her pajamas all the way up to her elbows and the pant legs all the way up to her knees.
Her love for accessorizing with jewelry, glasses, purses and fancy shoes. She knows when she looks good and is not one to pass up any chance for a compliment. The other day she pranced in front of me and declared herself "byo-ful".
Of course it's not all sweetness and light. She has an issue with sharing. She can pierce your eardrum with a single scream. But there is rarely a night when I don't fall into bed at night, turn to Matt, and declare her the most adorable creature on the planet.