Merbaby

Many mornings when I retrieve Susanna from her crib, I find this:

A baby mermaid!

I'm not sure how she's actually able to accomplish wedging both of her legs into one jammie leg, but she's fairly consistent. She does it so often, I started calling her Merbaby.

Ben tried to get in on the new nickname too, "Yook Mama, Baby Doodana Mer... Mer... Mer... (sigh). Yook Mama, Baby Doodana Mer..." (It's like listening to a CD skip and it can last for a solid minute.)

The more I called her Merbaby, the more she reminded me of a fish. And not a cute little baby mermaid, more like a catfish.

Exhibit A: Bathtub Kicks. Ironically, while in the bath, she looks like a fish out of water. Kicking and flopping like a catfish on a dock. Every time you lay her back to rinse her hair, she seems genuinely confused by what's happening and responds by failing. She does a barrel roll if you try to wash any part of her face, breaths in a bunch of bath water and gasps for air. Seriously, just like a fish on a hook.

Exhibit B: No-look Bites. Susanna will eat anything. (She literally pooped wrapping paper the day after Christmas.) At the table, she pops her little mouth open and waits for someone to spoon something into it. It doesn't matter what that something is, just spoon it in.

It sort of reminds me of feeding Carp, which, if you've never done, you should try.

Those Carp are tearing that popcorn up and even though Susanna only has two bottom teeth, I bet she could demolish some popcorn.

Bean-isms

Note: I found this draft saved April 11, 2011. I was probably looking for a picture before posting, but then I got busy having Susanna and whatnot. I'm feeling nostalgic and want to post it today.

Ben is finding his voice and really saying some funny things these days. Here are some examples:

1. I'm trying to get him to say, "Benjamin". He likes to say, "Bean Bean Bean."

2. "Cue me". I have not been working with him on saying "excuse me" so it came as a shock when he said it to Gary. He says it to the pets, toys, other kids, and anyone standing between him and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. This phrase is also accompanied by him waving his little arm in a get-out-of-my-way-or-else fashion.

3. "Mmm. Bean eat Bean." Although, this sounds cannibalistic, he really means, "Yum! I can't wait to eat these refried beans!"

4. "Bean cook money." I had to teach Ben how to push his old highchair over to the sink to wash his hands because I couldn't pick him up anymore. This was both the best and worst thing I've ever done. On one hand, it's nice not picking him up, but on the other hand Ben uses his new skill often. One day, I turned around to find Ben at the stove stirring 87 cents in a pot. "Mmm, Bean cook money."

No, don't cook money. Please, go play with your toys.

5. Open It: This is my very favorite. We started talking to Ben about the baby in Mama's tummy and about what's going to happen when she's born. He knows where she'll sleep, which clothes are  hers, that she'll ride in a car seat. Often when we're talking about the baby, he pats my belly and says, "Open it." If it were only that easy. Sigh.

When I told him the baby wasn't ready to be born yet, he started saying, "No baby, no weady yet?" He checks in every few days to see if the baby is "ready yet".

I hope he likes being a big brother and I hope he loves his little sister. And I can't wait to see what he has to say when she gets here.