Alice in December

Alice is suddenly asserting herself all the time. If we’re doing anything with Norah she knows immediately that there is a family activity going on and she wants to be included. She was such a easy going baby that I suppose I started taking her laid back ways for granted and began doing reckless things like eating m&m’s in front of her. She knows exactly what it sounds like when I open the cupboard where I hide them and if she’s in earshot she will walk over and insist on one. Just today she stood in that corner of the kitchen begging and reaching up to that cupboard. I kept thinking she wanted me to pick her up until it finally dawned on me that she wanted an m&m. After this bag is gone I’m not buying anymore!

Alice has also started playing on playgrounds – which conveniently we can still do here in December. She absolutely loves slides. She can’t go down enough times. When I get tired of putting her on the slide she resorts to climbing up the stairs herself and heading down head first (I stop her and flip her around). I just love this age!

Perhaps the most exciting development around here is the changing interaction between Norah and Alice. They are playing together (and fighting) more and more. Alice has a great sense of humor and thinks Norah is hilarious and Norah naturally feeds off of the laughter. They dance to music together, spin around in circles laughing when they fall down, and attempt to play catch. One of the favorite games is walking around the house, Alice in front, Norah in back with her hands on Alice’s shoulders saying “choo choo.” I always think Alice is a under duress when I see this and start to intervene but Alice is always smiling. She loves attention from her big sister and and increasingly Norah is seeing the value of having a constant playmate available.

This is in front of the new Perot Museum of Nature and Science on December 8th. We’ve had such beautiful weather this month. I have to remind myself it is Christmas time because it feels like September to me most days.