Stella-isms

I know. I know. Every parent believes their child is brilliant. And adorable. And clever. And yes, we unabashedly fall into that category. Nearly every night as we're falling asleep, Brian and I share our favorite Stella moments from the day. And the distinctly Scout-like Stella-isms these days have us in stitches. So please forgive me if these little tidbits seem mundane or ordinary; we see them as anything but.

• It's been windy in our town lately, and Stella looked out the window one day and said, "Mama, the wind is making my bottom dizzy."
• "Mama! Papa! The trees are dancing!" (Yes, it's been that windy.)
• Whenever we decide to embark on a new adventure - from leaving the house to heading upstairs for a change of scenery - Stella happily yells "Chop Chop, Mama! Chop Chop, Papa!" or "Let's boog!"
• When we open the door for our first morning excursion, Stella always says, "It's refreshing out."
• Acutely aware of the differences between day and night, Stella often announces "It's getting not darker now."
• To comfort herself as we explored a park that has made her a bit edgy in the past, Stella said, "This park loves me. This park really loves me."
• "Excuse me" sounds like "Scoompies."
• During a walk to the post office, Stella sang a little song. At one point we passed a man in a black and white striped sweater walking a dog. Stella's song shifted quite naturally to include the lyrics, "Hey there, doggie. Hey there, Zebra Man."
• After Vinnie scratched me while wrestling last night, Stella walked to me and announced "I need to give you a hug, Mama. Come here."

Oh, the list is endless, and I fear I'll delve into annoying parent mode here if I continue. This list and the billion little tidbits Stella shares with us each day remind me that we're doing a pretty good job of guiding a bright, curious and polite little person and, more importantly, she is really her own character already. We're a solid scaffold for this girl, but she's climbing in her own direction and we are so ridiculously lucky to watch in awe.