At the moment: Elle Belle

Apparently we didn't learn what we were supposed to learn when dealing with Mya's tantrums because Elle is following in her big sister's emotional footsteps. At two, Elle Belle is a whirl of a girl. She can be happy and outgoing one minute, shy and curious the next, angry and vicious two minutes later, and sad and pathetic just five seconds after. Being the third has made her strong-willed and determined. She knows what she wants, and she doesn't like to change her mind or to have her sisters try to change it for her. She is always vocal about her likes and dislikes. She scrunches her nose up in disgust when she isn't pleased and wags her pointer finger in your nose until you listen to her. But she also has the biggest, sweetest smile when she is happy. Tim and I are always saying to each other, "It's a good thing she's cute, or....(she'd be sleeping on the curb, she'd be sold by now, she's never getting married, insert any number of threats)." She really is cute. Too cute actually.

She is fiercely attached to people and things. It is never--and I mean never--a good idea to try and pry that once white puppy from her arms. And let's not even talk about her reaction if you ask her to leave her dad for just a second to do something else. She stares you down until you retract your request. She loves her daddy. Every morning she wakes up disappointed to see my face first. She always asks, "Where's daddy?" I reply, "Daddy's at work." She bows her head and shakes it slowly, "Oh...daddy's at work. He come home soon. I miss him." And holding her on my lap I whisper, "Yep baby girl, he'll be home soon" and she squeals, "OH...HE BE HOME SOON!" Throughout the day she asks me over and over if daddy is almost home.

You'd think I'd be jealous, but I'm not. She loves me too. I catch her watching my every move--but not to as Mya watches--Elle watches in adoration. She loves to do what I do. Every afternoon before her nap, I sing her the same three songs: Twinkle, twinkle, little star, I'll love you forever, and I am a Child of God, and during each song I stroke her hair and forehead. She started doing the same thing to me nearly six months ago, and admittedly I crave her hair stroke. She is so sweet to me. I love how she tugs on my pants and asks me for a hug or a kiss. I love how she takes my face in her hands and says, "Watch me mama," or in an essence, "Stop what you're doing and pay attention." She is so good with this gentle, and sometimes not so gentle, reminder.

She is smart and cunning. She knows how to get what she wants. She is feisty. She is almost always the bully if a fight breaks out. Both Mya and V run away from her because she hits them constantly. But she is oh so good. She's like a good piece of dark chocolate that is a little bitter in the beginning but oh so sweet in the middle. I couldn't live without this little pookie in my life. That's what she is you know--she's my pookie.