Oh, such a sweet girl

Sometimes Monkey is a hellion. And the terrible two tantrums are upon us with full force and brutality.

But other times? She is so sweet you get a cavity just looking at her!

Two nights ago I was reading to her before bed, and it was very important that she have Olivia (the Pig), Elmo, Taz (her Tasmanian devil), and Kitty (a kitty beanie baby) with her. In fact, she cried until M gave her each of these treasured friends to hold.

After a sniffle or two, she cheered up and starting hugging each of these four friends. And then, she asked me to give each of them a kiss. I have to admit, that pretending to plant a juicy kiss on Elmo, Olivia, et al made me giggle. But it was so sweet.

And now, lately, Monkey has started to use the word "pretty." When I put some leggings with lace around the ankles on her the other day? She pointed to the lace and said "pretty." Her favorite sippy cup (a vibrant jeweltone red) is also deemed pretty. Flowers are pretty.

Now, if I could just convince her that her pink and silver lame shoes weren't pretty, we'd be set...........

Top ten reasons Monkey belongs in New York...

1) She can hail a taxi cab

2) Alarms & sirens won't wake her

3) Her breakfast of choice is a (fresh! never frozen) bagel

4) She objects to walking slowly and will break out in a run to get there/anywhere sooner

5) Big kids don't intimidate her

6) Dogs don't intimidate her, either, even when they jump on her and lick her face

7) She likes to look out our windows and watch our neighbors (has no fear of heights)

8) She is a fashion plate, and has VERY strong opinions about her outfits and shoes

9) She loves riding the subway

and

10) She likes Derek Jeter!

Again with the feet!

So when I picked Monkey up at school yesterday, I heard all about her adventures.

She took her shoes and socks off, time and time again. She put her socks and shoes back on, time and time again.

She took Luke's shoes off of his feet, and then put them on her feet. Ok, eeuw. But apparently Luke didn't mind.

The piece de la resistance? She figured out how to flex her toes and spread them apart (you know, without using her fingers)!!

Grubby little toes

Monkey has a new habit, behavior pattern, or....fetish.

She's obsessed with her feet. Specifically, the lint between her toes, or any crumbs on the soles of her feet.

She LOVES to take her shoes and socks off, and tear around the apartment in her bare feet. Which means that, on occasion, and especially in the kitchen, she'll get something on the bottom of her foot.

In response she'll exclaim "oh oh," drop to the floor and bring her foot up to her face in a circus contortionist's stance to inspect her foot for the offending object. She'll even pull her toes apart to remove any wee bits of sock lint!

I'd laugh, if I didn't do the exact same thing. Minus the gymnastics...eeeeuww, get that image of our your mind.

After she pipes up with "help" and I brush the crumbs off, she'll say "all better." As if the world is spinning on its axis again. Crisis averted!

I don't know what is funnier. The fact that I do the same thing...or that her misery is self-inflicted. After all, she IS the one who dumped an entire container of couscous on the floor the other night.

Harold and the purple crayon

I think I need to get that book for Monkey.

This morning she took a purple crayon and - in no less than 10 seconds - drew all over our white garbage can, our white recycling container, the stove, the cupboards AND the wall.

She threw a wicked temper tantrum when I took away the crayon. But oddly enough, she liked the punishment of having to clean off the walls!