Top Ten Things I Love About The Chunster

I have a longstanding tradition of "Top Tens," but I haven't done "Top Ten
Things I love about Amelia" in a while. So here's what I am loving at the
"I-will-be-5-in-October" stage.

1. Her enthusiasm about her birthday. Currently, she is planning a purple
ballerina bowling party. Of course she has 2+ months to change her mind. She
talks about her birthday almost daily.

2. Her use of the word "babysitter" - as in, "Mommy, what will we do when Susie
is done babysittering me?"

3. Her complete fascination with Asian children/families. We saw three tiny
children with their parents at a resturant recently, and Amelia kept getting up
to look at the fish - only what she really wanted to see were the precious
little children. She kept saying "Oh, Mom, aren't they cute?"

4. How, at the end of every prayer, she says "OH Lord, please let everyone be
so nice to me." This went on for several weeks before I began suggesting that
perhaps this was not quite the spirit in which the Lord might have us pray. So
now she prays that and then adds "And Lord, help me be so nice to others."

5. How she continually beseeches the Lord for a brother AND a sister. I would love to adopt again, but 2-for-1? That seems a little ambitious.

6. Her total and complete devotion (read: addiction) to cartoons. She LOVES,
LOVES,LOVES cartoons. I told her she was going to turn into a cartoon, and she
said "really?" as if this was not an altogether bad plan.

7. Her use of various phrases that she picks up while out and about in the
world. The other day, she told me, "Mommy, you are what you eat." She's my new
diet plan. Or how about "What in tarnation was she thinking?" I don't know
where she picks this stuff up. For the record, I don't use the word tarnation.

8. Can we say Fancy Nancy? The child insists on wearing only dresses. Every
day. With fancy (sparkly) flip flops. Carrying a matching purse with chapstick,
sunglasses, and of course, her wallet with Starbucks card.

9. Speaking of fancy, she also insists these days on sleeping in a floor-length
silky gown, and extra points if there is a matching robe. This is not an
inexpensive endeavor for the Mama.

10. How she never gives a halfway hug. If she's going to hug you, it's going
to be the full-armed, big-squeeze, I-love-you-to-my-last-breath hug. She gives
the best hugs.

My life is SO richly blessed to have this precious girl as my daughter.

Amy B