The Hubs and I often joke that Bean will be responsible for every gray hair on our heads.  Only we’re not really joking.

Today I found her standing on top of the kitchen counters trying to climb up the cupboards.

In the past I’ve found her on the kitchen table trying to jump up so she could dangle from the hanging light. Standing on the back of the couch. Trying to jump down from three steps high.  Heading straight for the tallest slide at the playground.

She walks into Scorch’s classroom daily like she belongs there. When we drop him off at school she settles right in to color with the rest of the kids.  When it’s time to pick him up, she’s crawling into the middle of Circle Time signing and singing away with the kids. When we’re at the playground, she picks out the most daring kid there and tries to copy their every move never mind that they’re 5 times older then she is.

The Bean does it all gleefully and without a second thought.  When you tell her no she doesn’t throw a fit, she just ignores you. She knows what she wants to do and to hell with us and our worries.

Anyone know where to buy a full sized suit made out of bubble wrap? Etsy? Ebay? We’re desperate!

I feel like poor Beany is getting the shaft here lately. There is good reason for that.

Right now, she’s in a sweet spot. She’s mostly out grown the temper tantrums because she can communicate with us so well.  She’s (mostly) a joy to be around- giving freely of her hugs and smiles and jokes.  She sleeps 12 hours a night and naps for 2.5 hours during the day.  She loves to be cuddled when she’s not trying to do everything herself.

Of course she says hysterical things on an hourly basis. But let’s face it, it’s really only hysterical to those of us who interact with her all the time. Beaner is in the midst of potty training, but really do you care about each time she successfully uses the toilet? Given the fact that I could care less about your kids potty training adventures (unless it’s really disgusting ;)), I’m sure you don’t care about mine.

Let’s face it, perfection is boring!

Dear Bean,

I’m never, ever taking you grocery shopping again.

Ever.

I say that every week, yet every week I end up taking both you and Scorch because I’m too lazy to go on Friday night. This weekend I came well prepared. We hit up Dunkin Donuts before going and I got you and your brother a batch of Munchkins to eat. We got to the store early enough to ensure we could get one of the coveted “Car Carts”- the shopping cart with a car in front that you both can fit into.  The lure of donuts + the car cart kept things going smoothly for the first portion of our trip.

Then you got bored, so you started leaning your head out of the cart. I kept reminding you to put your head in the cart so you don’t get hurt.

Do you see where this is going?

As we were strolling down the cleaning items aisle, an older man came barreling down towards us clearly not paying a bit of attention. So I quickly yank the cart (which is about a quarter wider then a normal cart) over to the side and park it to avoid a collision.

What I didn’t do is make sure your head was in the cart.  And it wasn’t.

You screamed the store down. The end result was a scratch that started above your left eye brow, then picked up again on your nose and went under your other eye half way to your ear.  I still have nightmares thinking about what would have happened if your eye was hit.

So I’m saying it now and I’m saying it publicly- I’m never taking you grocery shopping again.

Love,

Your mommy, who feels terrible still.