Man. Another darling, totally awesome, amazing, very blonde, angel child!
How did one mama and dada get so lucky??
Fairly recently (ok, fine... back in May!) I filled in her birthday interview update, which is still a pretty good overview of Brinlee right now. But honestly, I could talk about her all day long. There's never really a dull moment with her. She is one spunky little kid! She likes to show off and have you watch her "cool moves", and boy does she have plenty of those! She is naturally a little shy though, and embarrasses easily. She doesn't mind keeping to herself, but she doesn't always like it for long. Even if she doesn't need you to engage her, she likes to know where you are and what you're up to, and she will often move her playing into the room I am in, just so she isn't somewhere alone, or just to make sure I don't feel alone myself. She's sweet like that.
She is independent and definitely likes to do things herself. It takes a lot for her to ask for help, and even then she doesn't easily let you help her. She has a decent little attitude, and doesn't always like to listen. She knows the rules, but also likes to try to be in charge and push boundaries. She doesn't like to be given limits or choices. She doesn't like to feel pressured by time or pending consequences. She likes to put on a brave, rebellious, sassy front and gets caught up in that sometimes. She's 4 I guess! But she has a very tender heart too. She cries easily, and more than anything really does like to be good and obedient. She does not like feeling like she has disappointed you, and she is very quick to say "I'm sorry", "I know I should have listened", "You were right", "I'll try to be better". She likes to try to please and will often say things like "did you see what I did? Are you proud of me?"
She is so smart! I am surprised all the time at the questions she's asking and the things she's learning. Most recently she has been into ocean animals, particularly squids. And she remembers everything! She has the most amazing imagination. She's still very into dress-ups, and she's still VERY into imaginative character games. We all pretend to be something different every day.
She's getting very interested in learning how to read. She's been working on the alphabet and has just about got down all the letters and their sounds. She loves to pick out rhyming words, and she doesn't seem to be losing any interest in sitting and looking through books. She has several of her favorites memorized, and the ones she doesn't know as well she "reads" to herself by looking at the pictures. She still loves to be read to though, and is starting to choose chapter books. Right now we are working on Charlotte's Web. She has a few scriptures she is close to having memorized and she says the sweetest little prayers.
She loves to sing (both real songs, and her own made up ones), she loves to dance, she loves to play with play dough, she loves to swim and play at the park, and she loves to talk! Her little voice keeps me company all day long. And honestly, most days, I really don't mind. She says some very thoughtful things, some very sweet things, and some of the funniest things I've ever heard! I wish I had a recorder on all the time, I don't always remember some of the gems she says. But here are some of the ones I jotted down lately:
"McKenna, do you want to put your toys over here by mine? It will be simply delightful!"
"You are making things really difficult for me right now!"
While trying to finish a green drink:
Brin: "When can I be done?"
Me: "I told you, when your drink is all gone Brinlee. Don't ask me again until it's ALL gone!"
Brin: "Silly mom. I won't have to ask again when my drink is gone, because then I will know I'm done!"
Me: "I am asking you to stop playing and eat your dinner please!"
Brin: "Yes, I know, and you're asking very nicely mom. But I just can't do what you need me to do right now!"
Brin: "Mom, let's play princesses! You can be Sleeping Beauty, and I'll be Rapunzel, and we can be friends!"
Me: "Ok, just as soon as I get this laundry started we will. Dirty clothes need cleaned you know!"
Brin: "Oh... Well, you can be Cinderella then... and you can have just mice for friends."
While being frustrated with a little sister that wouldn't cooperate:
"Mom, McKenna is wanting to live this life. But I just don't want her to be living the life she's living!"
"Dear Heavenly Father,
Please bless that the bumble bees won't wreck the earth.
And that the spiders will get them.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen."
"Alright, I will, if you insist."
"I love this new toy. I probably won't share with anyone... except McKenna, because I love her!"
"I just love Heavenly Father. I know he helps me."
Rocking a stuffed animal wrapped in a blanket and pretending to feed it a bottle:
"I am pretending this is a baby snake in here, and this bottle has milk, and egg, and rat in it."
"Did you know I already know a lot of stuff? Like I already know things you're going to say. Like, if you say 'Hi Brinlee, you are cute', yep! I totally did know you were going to say that."
"No, I don't want to lay by dad! He's stinky!"
"I hurted my foot, and I just do not think this was supposed to happen."
She is a wonderful big sister and is incredibly patient with McKenna. She shares with her, reads to her, sings to her, encourages her, helps her, and teaches her. I often overhear things like "Good job McKenna, that is a ball!" or "Nice try McKenna!", or "Here McKenna, I can get that for you!" She also does her fair share of yelling at and bossing around McKenna... She is quick to that when she gets frustrated and wants things her way. But McKenna adores her! It's so fun to watch.
She is getting to be quite the helper around the house. She goes through phases with how quickly and easily she does her chores. But right now she loves to hand-wash dishes, she makes her own bed, folds laundry and puts it away, cleans up her own room, unloads the silverware, and feeds the fish. She washes herself in the bathtub, and she runs errands all over the house fetching me things that I need.
She likes to dress herself, she does NOT like getting her hair done ("I just want it crazy!), she's not the best eater, but also isn't really picky. When she realizes she has to she'll eat most anything, but still can't really stomach green beans and peppers. She is naturally very cautious and steers pretty clear of dangerous or unfamiliar things, but she also likes to try new things. And once she has discovered something isn't so scary, then she likes to do it over and over until she gets it down perfectly. She loves to play with and take care of her friends and make sure everyone is happy. She loves to cuddle and loves to lay in bed with me and pillow talk. She is getting quite the little sense of humor. She likes to play and be silly and make people laugh, and she also loves to laugh. She's very easily happy and her happiness is infectious. She has a fun, positive attitude and a little personality that you kind of can't get enough of. She is easy to talk to and actually quite fun and entertaining to carry on a good conversation with. Her smile goes for miles and when she gets to giggling, you really can't help but giggle yourself.
Oh how we LOVE this sweet, funny, smart, silly, loving, crazy, incredible little lady. She is the best little buddy and the most amazing little person. She teaches and strengthens us every day and we are so grateful to have her warming up our little home. Our family wouldn't be the same without her!
Now. How to keep her little longer...
And now for a few every day scenes from life with this one.
It's a good, good life!
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