Annabel likes to lay her hands on either side of my face, look into my eyes and say, "Mama, you're my sweetie-pie!"
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Back when she was still trying to distinguish between boys and girls, somebody asked her, "Is Alana (baby cousin) a boy or a girl?"Annabel thought for a moment then said, "She's a sweetie-pie!"
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Cousin Alana has a red splotch birthmark on her hand. Months ago, at a family brunch, Annabel pointed to it and said, "That's Alana's bookmark."
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Annabel: We had a lovely day today.
Me: Why was it lovely?
Annabel: We went to the ice cream shop and saw purple ice cream and it was marionberry ice cream and that was lovely. Also, it was a gorgeous day."
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Annabel's speech:
At 2.5 years she said 'w' in place of 'l.' Awana instead of Alana.
Sometimes, she said 's' for 'th.' "That's what I sink."
She also couldn't say v's at the beginning of a word. "We're going on a little wisit to grandma and grandpa's house," and "I am wery, wery angry right now!"
Now she's three, and the only sound she still has trouble with is that darn 'v.' One day while Annabel, Mieke, and I were taking a bath together...
At 2.5 years she said 'w' in place of 'l.' Awana instead of Alana.
Sometimes, she said 's' for 'th.' "That's what I sink."
She also couldn't say v's at the beginning of a word. "We're going on a little wisit to grandma and grandpa's house," and "I am wery, wery angry right now!"
Now she's three, and the only sound she still has trouble with is that darn 'v.' One day while Annabel, Mieke, and I were taking a bath together...
"Mama, your cute little wagina is so pretty."
"Oh, thank you. Do you think it's little?"
Pause for thought. "Your cute big wagina is so pretty!"
"Thank you." I looked at Michiel, who was wrapping Mieke in a towel. "How come you never say that to me?"
"What? You want me to say you have a big vagina?"
When Annabel gets out of the bath and Michiel is drying her off, she likes to say, "Human body!" Just that. No full sentence. Just a declaration. We don't know why. And she only says it when Michiel gets her out of the bath, never for me.
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At night Annabel likes to give kisses before bed. Not only does she want to give hugs and kisses to everyone and their uncle, but she has a special kiss routine with me. First, she gives me a kiss on one cheek, then the lips, then the other cheek, the forehead, and the top of the head. Then she says, "Now you do me." And I have to kiss her in that same pattern.