Noelle on Facebook

So, Noelle has been talking about Facebook lately. It always catches me off guard and makes me laugh because I don't believe that we talk about Facebook all that much in our household. That's what is so intoxicating about two year olds: they surprise and delight.

More than once, after drawing a picture, Noelle will hold it up and say, "I whan put it on Facebook." Which immediately makes me spin back through everything I might have said about putting pictures up on Facebook, and I don't come up with too much. I don't remember the last time I uploaded pictures to Facebook. It's been a while.

Then tonight, after an especially wonderful dinner with our cousins, Noelle waved "goodbye" to her 7 year-old cousin, Elena, and called out, "Write me on Facebook!"

Again, I don't remember ever saying that to anyone, but of course I must have. Or Dwayne must have. But that's the mystery and joy of having a two year old. They are not little pets. They are little human beings who are in the process of becoming and there is no accounting for the magical ways their minds twist and turn, absorb and connect, the way they pop up with reflections of you or something brand new that is entirely their own.

It's a wonder, watching these little persons emerge out of little bodies. It's a miracle of creation being unfurled everyday.

And then there's this other fantastic part about it -- it's not just awe inspiring, leave that to the waterfalls and the glorious mountain ranges. Watching a two year old's mind emerge through the delicately curved lips, and protruding belly is just down right adorable. It's awe inspiring AND adorable.

Really, where else can you find this combination anywhere on the planet?

Dad-Fish and other Assortments of Sea Life

Today, Noelle and I went to the doctor's for a check-up. While there, Noelle made a friend - 2 1/2 year old boy, as equally gregarious as she. They bopped around the waiting room chatting back and forth like little grown-ups.

The fish tank was a big hit. "Oo- a fish!" Noelle's squeal was so high it arced over the waiting room like a rainbow. "There's a catfish!" she announced trailing the slick body of a fish across the glass. Where does she learn these things? I marveled. Every time I hear her voice coming out with little grown-up inflections, my heart skips a beat and then unravels into warmth.

The little boy laughed and chatted back. "What's that?" he said pointing to the sunken ship.

"I don't know." Noelle shrugged her shoulders. They were playing a game. Next it was her turn. She did a little jig, excited to have the company, then pointed to a long gray fish skimming the bottom of the tank. "What's that?"

The little boy shrugged. "I don't know," then he turned toward his father who was sitting in the waiting room and pointed. "My dad..." his voice trailed off, as if he were going to ask his father what the fish was, but before he could say anything more Noelle, who was still staring at the tank, laughed and threw her head back.

"That's not your Dad! That's a fish!!"

A Hugging Family

Yesterday, when I got home from work, Dwayne and I stood between the dining room and the kitchen kissing "hello." We weren't necessarily hugging; just giving each other a quick smooch.

Noelle grabbed our legs and pushed us together saying, "A hug too!"

So we complied, at which point, Noelle threw her arms around our legs and gave us a big hug.

"Ah," she cooed, "I love you guys too!"

Noelle the Little RD

Dwayne's duty phone rang this morning at six. This is part of his job as a Resident Director - he is on call one weekend a month. I could hear the muffled voice of a girl over the line.

"uh- hun," Dwayne said shuffling out of bed and down the hall so as not to disturb me anymore. I heard him getting on his flip flops and sweatshirt, then the clunk of the outside door opening and closing.

I dozed off and about 30 minutes later, Dwayne came back. I rolled over and found him standing on my side of the bed.

"Christin," he whispered. "One of the RA's blacked out and hit his head. They called the paramedics. I'm going to go sit with him at the hospital, then take him out to breakfast if that's what he wants."

An hour later, Noelle woke up. I fetched her from her room and the first thing she asked was, "Where's Daddy?" Dwayne has been gone the last three days and just came home yesterday evening. She was expecting to see him this morning.

"He went to work," I said.

"Went to work?" she echoed back.

"Yes," I said carrying her out into the hallway, "One of the friends [this is what she calls the college students] bumped their head and had to go to the hospital. Daddy when to sit with him."

"I can help!" Noelle exclaimed looking up into my face.

"You can?" I set her down.

"Yep. I can give stickers!" She ran down the hall toward her craft drawer. "Feel all better!" She said triumphantly.

An Introverted Hand

This afternoon, Noelle and I were walking outside holding hands.

Eventually, she started trying to pull her hand away. We were right by a parking lot, so I didn't want to let her go.

When she couldn't get her hand out she pulled harder and whined, "My hand just wants to be alone, mommy. It wants privacy."

:-)

Noelle is Turning Two

Noelle turns two next month and she has been an explosion of development this last month. She doesn't just pick up a new word a day, she comes out with two or three whole sentences in one day that I've never heard her say before.

Today these were the new phrases/sentences I heard her say for the first time.

-As we were standing in the drive-way saying goodbye to Sheri, Noelle looked up at Sheri, waved and said, "Okay see you soon," in her little garbled toddler voice. But it was clear as day what she was saying!

-Tonight when we were taking an after dinner stroll with Dwayne, she kept running up to Dwayne and I saying, "Mon momma. Mon Dadda" and trying to get us to come see something she'd found. I guess I say the phrase "Come on" to her all the time, but it was still so cute to hear her say it to us.

- Right before dinner time we asked her if she wanted to eat, and she sighed, grabbed her play cellphone and said, "No, I whan cah BopBop." (I want to call BopBop.)

Just a few days ago she dumped the container of nuts all over the carpet, stood in the middle of them, lifted her little hands in the air, looked at me and asked, "What happen Momma?" Now anytime she makes a mess, drops something, spills something, it's always followed by that innocent question. So adorable. It's hard to stay irritated.

After work this past Tuesday, I was so beat I could hardly play with her. I sat in the pink chair in her room and talked to her while she played. She could tell that something wasn't right, and so walked up to my lap, put her little hands on my knees and asked for the first time, "What's wron, momma?" Meaning, "What's wrong." Again, I guess I've asked her that same question several times, but never realized it until she repeated it back to me. It was so sweet.

And the other thing that strikes me is the way she is learning to form her own sentences, not just repeat the stock phrases we use in conversation.

She really did this well for the first time tonight. Dwayne was snuggling with her on the couch before bedtime. I had just finished doing dishes and so came and sat next to them. "Okay, let's go to sleep Dwayne said," closing his eyes and pretending to go to sleep. Noelle closed her eyes too, and for fun I quickly flipped off the living room lamp.

Noelle stayed quiet for a moment, but then lifted her little hand up to the lamp and said, "Momma, turn ligh on. Turn ligh on." She had to ask me about four times before I realized what she was saying, mostly because I just wasn't expecting her to be able to express herself so clearly. It caught me off guard, but then totally thrilled me.

Her favorite line of conversation is to talk about the moo moos and nay nays. She tells me that the moo moos and nay nays used to live across the street from us while pointing out the window toward Downtown. Which in fact they did, when the Farmer's Market met during the summer. Then she goes on to throw her hands up in the air and say, "All gone. They home." Which is to repeat what I've told her in order to try and explain to her the ending of the Farmer's Market for the winter. Finally, I ask her what the moo moos and the nay nays eat, to which she replies gleefully, "Cheese and Hieh!" (meaning hay).

Another thing I love to watch is her budding sense of humor. She has a great sense of humor. And she is teaching me to lighten up everyday. I love this about her. The other day we were coming home from errands. I parked the car and came around to her side of the car to get her out, but she just lay limp in the chair. Her eyes were open, but her head was turned away from me, and she just slouched in my hands.

"Are you alright?" I asked getting a bit worried. Suddenly she popped up and started laughing. "Iya shoo shoo." She said making sleeping noises and holding her hands up to her cheek. She was pretending to be asleep, the little trickster! She did it again today and just thought she was the funniest thing ever. I of course, thought so too.

In addition to being funny, she's also a little bossy. She's not rude about it, it's more like she's a director with a clear vision for how things should go around her.

On our evening walk tonight, Noelle started kicking her feet in the air and chanting, "Mach, Mach, Mach," which means "March, March, March."

Then she turned to dwayne and I, "Momma, mach, mach, mach. Dah mach!" Dwayne and I chuckled but ignored her instruction. But she didn't give up. She pushed our legs and insisted, "Mach, momma! Mach! Mach Dah! Mach, Mach." All three of us were marching down the sidewalk like silly puppets.

On Thursday, I took Noelle to the park where she met another little blonde-haired girl just six months older than her. This girl, Emma, had such a sweet demeanor, and was as quiet as a mouse. About halfway through our time at the playground Noelle realized that Emma was a compliant playmate. It was the first time I'd ever seen Noelle take charge of her friends.

Noelle climbed up onto the jungle gym, sat on one of the steps, then turned to Emma and called out, "Down, Down," patting the seat beside her. The two of them played like that for the rest of the time. Noelle scrambling around and then instructing Emma in what to do. Though Emma didn't follow Noelle's instructions, she didn't seem to mind. Noelle seemed happy just to have someone to manage.

What a sweetheart of a daughter I have. Forgive me my unabashed mushiness. Noelle is the perfect daughter for me and I am so delighted that she is a part of my family. I can't wait to see these little threads of personality mature with her as she grows. It's so much fun getting to know her each day, and I'm so delighted to see just how different she is from me. Just how unique she is. I still haven't been able to recognize yet, how she takes after me, but I'm sure I will one day. :-)

Each day with her is a gift. Not that we don't have our tantrums and frustrations, she is turning two after all, but truly spending my days with her is like uncovering bit by bit one of God's master pieces.

Dance Moves by Noelle

Today we went to a Holland festival in Long Beach with one of Dwayne's classmates.  He is from the Netherlands and so introduced us to a sliver of his culture.  Meanwhile, a band played.  It's important to note that Noelle was NOT the only Toddler at the festival.  She was, however, the only toddler that made a bee-line for the music and danced in front of the stage.

Next time you're at a dance, think about integrating some of Noelle's great dance moves into your routine.