Emma

What a whirlwind she is! My, oh my! Small, solid and ,...LOUD. "There was a little boy, and noise was part of him..." (Do you remember that, guys?) Well, "There is a little girl, and noise is definitely part of her...." And what does she want when we go to Target for a toy? Why, she heads right to the microphones - and she knows how to use them...No, Emma, Mommy probably wouldn't want you to get that...She wants to do everything "my very own self", and she works hard to accomplish this goal: Hungry? Climb up the pull-out baskets to the cereal. Thirsty? Get something to step on, get to top shelf of cupboard, climb onto counter, get cup ...do all in reverse and over to the fridge for cold water. Ooops! Spilled a pint or two?...But "I DID IT MYSELF!" Yup, you did...

It is so lovely and quiet upstairs. Uh-oh! That means Emma is not here. And it has been quiet for some time...She has not been here for a while! What is she doing? Race downstairs and check. Why, she is sitting quietly at the table and...re-painting the paintable dishes Anna bought at Target, and spent such a long time designing yesterday! Every cup of the childproof acrylic paint is open! Every cup is just about empty. This is now Emma's tea set. Few traces of Anna's work remain. How do I tell Anna her labor of hours has been obliterated?

Good morning, Emma. Come on down and let Mimi cuddle you...And she launches herself from several steps above where I am standing, waiting. Mimi, I flying! And - fortunately, I catch her.

We are on a jaunt to the store - kids all belted as safely as possible in my little car...POO POO!...Mimi, Emma's saying poo poo...PEE PEE...Mimi, Emma's saying pee pee...FART...Mimi, Emma's saying fart...NAKED...Mimi, Emma's saying naked! Mimi is strategically deaf.

In deference to having an older brother and sister, her favorite dress-up clothes are borrowed from both - pink princess shoes from Anna and a fireman's hat from Josh - worn together. LOOK AT ME, MIMI! How can I not?

Silly little thing.