My Little Girl

I did a better job posting about the twins in infancy than I have about Dani, but that is not because I don't have things I should be writing. That little cutie is one funny girl, and I am going to shamelessly brag about how captivating she is for the next several paragraphs.

Dani loves to bring me her shoes, and say, "Shoes?" which really means, "Take me outside." If I say yes, she will clap her hands and plop down to get her shoes put on.

She loves to dance. If music starts playing, she will start swaying side-to-side and bobbing her little head. She likes to hold Janine's ipod and dance around the living room.

Dani always crams her face into the corner of the crib to sleep, and she is even happier if mommy or daddy have their hand on her face. Tonight she woke up because she is teething. I went in to lay her back down and patted her face for a moment as I did. She had fallen back to sleep immediately, but as soon as I pulled my hand away her dark eyes popped open, she snatched my hand out of the air and placed it back on her face.

She talks a lot now--if no strangers are around. A few days ago she brought me a toy she didn't want, forced the item in my hand, and cheerfully exclaimed, "Thank you!" (i.e. Take this away. It displeases me.) To Dani, "thank you" means, "fulfill my wishes." In fact, a few days later I saw her walk up to the garbage can, pop the lid open, throw some non-trash item in the bin, and compliment the can, "Thank you!"

Don't get me wrong. Dani has a lot more than two words in her repertoire, and even a few short sentences. Her favorite words and sentences are:

Shoes
Look
Thank you
Mommy
Daddy
Reid - "Eed"
Gage - "Dage"
Baby
Love you
Monkey
No
Grapes
Food
Diaper
Poopy
Apple
Out
Up
Go
Get down
Hat
There is a lot more, but I can't remember at the moment.

Dani is sure she is as capable as the twins. Fortunately they really love her, and do a good job playing with her. If they are on the trikes, she wants a ride. She sits on the play stroller and yells at the boys to push her around. She has conquered the kiddie slide, and claps every time she makes it to the bottom--she doesn't even make us help her climb up. She likes to sit on the couches by the boys, and listen to story time. Most interactions with her turn into some kind of game (peekaboo, copy cat, etc.).

Most important though, Dani is generous with her hugs, kisses, and snuggles. And that is the quickest way to a daddy's heart. I haven't captured even half of what I should tell about that little girl, but I can't say enough how happy we are to have her in our crew. She is a balancing force to the mayhem of Gage and Reid.