Mallary - Year In Review

Oh, Mallary. Where do I even begin? I guess, honestly, if you wanted to see a recap of Mallary's year, you could just search in my archives under Tuesday Tips...

When I was pregnant with Mallary, I think I thought that all my children would be just like Trevan. But, it doesn't quite work that way.

She is a little busy body. This year, she has kept me on my toes. I have cleaned up countless messes, wiped down the walls, and scrubbed the floors too many times to count.

Mallary turns anything she can find into a stepping stool. To her, everything she sees is a tool to help her get into something else.

She definitely epitomizes 'monkey see, monkey do.' She copies everything she sees her brother do.

It's been fun to watch her vocabulary really burst this year. She still loves to tell knock-knock jokes, but this year you can actually understand her, and she can even do the "who's there?" part now.

Due to her adventurous spirit, she has had numerous tumbles this year. Her last spill, I just sat and cried with her, wondering if she could even make it to her third birthday. Trevan asked, "Mommy, why are you crying?" "Because being a mommy is hard sometimes." I responded. "It's hard when your children don't listen to the things you ask them to do to keep them safe. Like when I tell you not to run in a parking lot." Then Trevan added, "But, I'm faster than a car, they can't hit me."

Mallary loves to sing songs, and she likes to listen to her favorite songs on repeat in the car. For real, she throws a fit if you let a song she likes end and go to the next song. She's not dramatic at all...

Mallary is seriously such a character. When someone is talking to her that she doesn't know, she will turn her head from them, or close her eyes. It's like she is telling herself, if I close my eyes long enough they will stop talking to me. She gives the funniest faces, and likes to make silly faces.

She loves to put on lotion, and just recently has decided she likes rocking baby dolls, and since seeing my sister-in-law nurse her baby at Thanksgiving, tries to nurse her baby dolls.

She loves to color, to play catch, and to read my cookbooks and magazines. She loves dogs, especially our neighbors dog, Buddy. Whenever we are outside she always points to their house and says, Buddy. Whenever we pull into the driveway, she points and says, Buddy. She loves Buddy. Once, I was putting the kids in the car to go somewhere, and I look over and she is at the neighbor's door, looking in the window to see Buddy.

She is very polite and says thank you, and bless you. She blesses herself whenever she sneezes and coughs, and then will keep saying it until you say it too.

I think she is going to really like having a baby sibling. I don't think she really gets it, but she loves to try and lift my shirt up to look at my growing, ginormous belly, and point at my belly button.

Mallary cannot be entertained by the TV, unfortunately for me, but will still sit and play with baby wipes for long periods of time. Mallary tells me when she is ready to go to bed at nap time, and always says, "Don't let the bed bugs bite." You have to tell her the same thing, and she will say, "Okay!"

It was fun to watch her open up presents at Christmas time. She loved it!

She is growing up really fast, and I am enjoying that she is not getting into as much. She is so adorable, and the cutest thing ever, even if she is a big stinker. I love her laughter and giggles, and how when you ask to give her a kiss, she will bend her head down and allow you to kiss her on the top of her head. She gives good "huggies," and loves to give Trevan hugs before she goes upstairs to take a nap.

2010 will be big year for her; potty training, a big girl bed, no more pacifier at night, and a baby sibling, just for starters.

I love my little stinker.