Today's post is dedicated to my sister-in-law, Jennifer. She gave me this amazing Christmas gift last year that was a collection of the many cute stories that have been shared about Melanie all in one super crafty thing that you would have to see to believe. Without this amazing gift I doubt I would have remembered so well some of my favorite moments with Princess Melanie.
So just to start, a little history on Melanie. Melanie was born on June 11, 2008 in Glendale, Arizona. She was planned. For those of you who know me, that doesn't surprise you. I am a planner. Some people might think it's boring to plan everything, I find that it is the only way I can manage the different facets of my life and still take on more should others need something. However, as I am sure you with kids will agree, there is no amount of planning that properly prepares you for parenthood. You can't plan what it will be like to not sleep for two months. You can't plan for how overwhelmed you will feel. While a lot of that is hormones out of control, you're still so overwhelmed that you can't even reason that in a short time that will all level out. You also can't plan or imagine how much you will love that little child before they are even born and you have a chance to know them. And it only gets better from there.
The things people first notice about Melanie is her hair. It is this really pretty dark red and naturally curly. It is the kind you would pay big bucks for your hairdresser to do to your hair if only she could. We get the great hair comment the most. The next thing is always her smile. She really is one of the happiest kids I know. She smiles with her whole face and it's the kind of smile that makes your heart happy. She has smiled like this since she was about two weeks old. What I love the most is that it doesn't take much to make her happy or make her smile. She loves life and I love that about her. The other thing people will comment on is her vocabulary. She talks a lot and uses big words, correctly. I don't actually think her words are any more advanced than any other three year old you might know but did I mention, she talks A LOT so you just get to hear so many of them that I think that is what impresses people. But in all seriousness, she is a happy, inquisitive, smart, stubborn, head strong, loving, compassionate, respectful, responsible little girl who just brings pure joy to our lives.
So below are some of my favorite moments with little Miss Melanie that explains the sparkle in her eye and the joy in my heart.
July 1, 2010 "Took Melanie to our muffin place this morning. After eating 3 mini muffins which is usually enough having had some applesauce at home she smiles and says, "more peez mama". I get her another. She kisses my arm and says "tank you". She eats it and asks for another. I tell her she has had enough. The muffin lady brings her another "on the house". Mel kisses her arm and says, "tank you" and smiles at me. I love my daughter."
Update: They still give her free muffins now and then. She has stopped kissing them but will give a high five and big smile when she says thank you.
August 14, 2010 "Out for pizza, mini golfing, and ice cream. Melanie's 1st time mini golfing. She got a hole in one every time! She yells "my turn", runs at the hole and drops her ball in dragging her putter. After the 1st hole where she chugged the ball as hard as she could at the hole nearly taking out an innocent bystander, we were thrilled with dropping in. She cried at the last hole when her ball didn't come out, NAUGHTY HOUSE ATE BALL!"
Update: She still gets a hole in one every time she golfs, but no crying at the end. She will not however put the ball in the final hole, she politely returns it to the girl at the counter to keep it safe for her until next time.
September 15, 2010 "The highlight of every grocery store trip is the ride in the cart with the race car attached. There were none available today which equalled one unhappy Melanie. The checkout lady asks Melanie how she was. HUGE mistake. Melanie looked at her with her face all scrunched up, which is her angry look, and said in a very angry voice, "Melanie mad, no vroom vroom." The lady replied, "tell me how you really feel". Melanie then yelled, "Melanie MADDDDD!!!" As I am trying not to laugh I tell Melanie not to yell at the nice lady checking us out as it is not her fault there were no car carts and we do not yell at people. Melanie then looked down in her calmer but still angry voice and said "sorry lady".
Update: Melanie rarely uses carts at all. She is in her independent stage where she's a "big girl" and will just walk. That is until we get about half way done and then she wants to ride on the side because she is tired. She also would never yell at the lady now, but she would start a debate with her about the ratio of small children to the number of race car carts offered and how it is just not fair or adequate if given the chance.
This isn't her with the shopping cart but it is her mad look!
October 10, 2010 "On behalf of Melanie you are all invited to her next xylophone concert. She assembled every toy we have in our great room as the audience, banged her sticks together counting 1,2,4,8,10 and began banging. It was true genius. I think the artificial food liked it the most and the stuffed bunny got in trouble for sleeping.
Update: Melanie has expanded her band to include a full set of percussion instruments including drums and a guitar. She still does concerts but I got kicked out of the last one for talking . :( She will also allow you to be honorary members of her band and play along but only if you "do it right!" She has also improved greatly in her counting skills. She now counts, "1,2,3,4" and starts banging and singing a very angry version of ABC's.
October 11, 2010 "Driving home with Melanie today we pull up next to a truck that has a basset and a bloodhound in it. Since we have a basset I bring them to Mel's attention and roll her window down so she can see them. She excitedly waves and yells "hi puppies". They begin to howl in true hound fashion which leads Melanie to yell at them, "no, no doggies, inside voice, go time out!" The driver busted out laughing.
Update: Melanie still attempts to put animals and people in time out. It's been a while since I've been asked to report there but I think that's because I told her I would love nothing more than to have some quiet time alone on my bed to think.
So there was some of my favorite Melanie memories from the past. My favorite daily blessing is that there is not a day that goes by that she doesn't say to me, "mama, I love you" at least 5 times, completely unprompted and often followed with a kiss. It melts my heart every time. I think she knows that though because that is also her reaction when I walk into the room and she has done something naughty and she can tell I am formulating the words to use with her. She always interrupts me before I can even talk with a "mama, I love you". I told you she was smart! ;-)
