Maggiesville

This is Maggie at nearly 22 months. Almost 2 years old. Can you imagine that?

We're getting ready for Halloween and spent dinner making faces, creating various voices for this mask she is modeling, and acting out the concept of knocking on a door, saying "trick or treat" and getting candy in return. I think she is starting to catch on to the idea and she is definitely on board with dressing up as a frog. (We'll have more on that later. Her costume is nearly complete.)

Maggie is growing leaps and bounds right now, and in all ways imaginable. She is saying things and doing things that are continually taking us by surprise, to the point where we almost can't keep track of it all.

My favorite moments always seem to come at bedtime (which is in a big-girl bed now) when I lay with her, lights out, and ask her about her day. She is at a point where she will always recall something specific like "Maggie, Pop Pop touch the sign" or "Maggie go daddy slide." ("Daddy", by the way, functions as another word for "big". Same for "baby" and "small".)

Graham mentioned this in a tweet but just the other night she had very specific things on her mind that went something like this:

Maggie: Care Bears help.

Me: Yes, Maggie, Care Bears do help.

Maggie [patting her tummy]: Maggie belly badge.

Me [surprised]: Maggie has a belly badge? Really??

Maggie: Maggie belly badge rainbow.

Me: Oh wow. A rainbow? Mommy's belly badge is a heart.

Maggie [with no hesitation at all]: Daddy's belly badge star!

Maggie [recapping]: Maggie belly badge rainbow! Mommy heart! Daddy star!

This concept made her extremely happy and - despite my distaste for Care Bears - it made me really happy too. I love that she chose a rainbow for herself which, to me, is the best of all belly badges.