Brooks is a complete mess. I feel like I must wipe her face off 30 times a day but every time I look at her, there is something new that she has gotten into. Most of this stems from the fact that she is a really good eater so she tends to wear a portion of her meal. But even though she isn't the most "put together" little girl, that doesn't keep her from accessorizing to the extreme. Most day she goes through about 20 different shoe changes, including Robert's loafers and my 3 inch heels. She enjoys going through my lingerie drawer and wearing sports bras and underwear on her head. And like Harrison, she is a full fledged climber. Shopping has become one of my least favorite adventures because Brooks refuses to sit down and has little tolerance for moving around a store in one position. She has an extremely tough demeanor and can shake off a lot of spills and tumbles. Most importantly, she is able to remain undeterred by some of Harrison's outbursts and his tendency to pick on her when he gets frustrated. It's amazing to see how easy it is for her to ignore it. She is already far better at it than I am. She does have a short temper when she knows what she wants and is unable to get it immediately. Robert and I actually find it amusing sometimes so we have nicknamed her, "the honeybadger", whenever she gets upset. But she he is a sweet little peanut. She loves to hang on you and of course, prefers to be picked up rather than walking around on her own...unless you are shopping. I get so tickled by her attempts to communicate and the way that she mimics her brother's behavior (for the most part). She is such a fast learner so I can't imagine how crazy things are going to get when she really starts to figure things out.
And the H Man. Do I really need to go on or can you pretty much guess what I'm going to write?? He is continual motion but believe it or not, he is starting to channel some of this energy in a more focused direction. Robert and I have noticed that he does not stay in a tantrum as long as usual and he has had an easier time with shaking things off that frustrate him. I think school has had a lot to do with that and the fact that he is closer to age 4. He is really into singing songs and talking about his friends. I love to hear him randomly start singing a song that he has either just made up the words to or repeat a little ditty that he learned in school. We also sing in the car a lot these days and the lyrics to Scooby Doo will forever be embedded in my memory. He is such a lovable kid that it is easy to forget some of the more difficult times and instead pay attention to all the sweet things that he says and does. His sensitivity to our and other people's feelings truly melts my heart. And again, he is an amazing big brother. I think this role was made for him because he can understand Brooks' attempts at communication far faster than I can. They love to play together and other than the ridiculous, non-sharing moments, they are great pals. Love them!
