Ambitious Toddler Seeks Exciting Opportunities

Lucy's not a baby anymore. I won't write sappily about how much I miss my baby (at least, not in this entry), because for the moment, I am in love with my new toddler. Her level of engagement with the world, with us, is so entertaining that I can't believe I tolerated having a worthless little newborn lump. I'm just kidding. Kind of.

As her toddler resume grows, I make plans for her future...
--She loves to read, whether it's one of her books, or the menu at a restaurant. She seems to understand words on a printed page. Pulitzer-prize winning author!
--She tries to count, pointing rhythmically to one thing after another the way we count out her Cheerios at breakfast. Mathematician/future checkbook-balancer (equally ambitious goals in my mind)!
--She knows where her ears, mouth and nose are, and can sometimes identify those same parts on other people. Physician!
--She can pick her nose and eat her boogers. Sometimes she will pick her nose and offer you one of her boogers. Um, McDonald's employee?
--When you give her a brush, she brushes her hair (or at least rubs the brush on her head, but she doesn't have much to work with). She also likes to brush your hair. Salon owner or celebrity stylist.
--She also knows what sunglasses are and where they go, though she refuses to wear her own. Secret service agent/very famous person.
--She is enamored with light switches and cabinets -- on/off, open/close. Cause and effect is satisfying. Scientist/inventor!
--She toddles. Her first stumble has become drunken little steps. She weaves around without help for a long time, and she gets more confident every day. Olympic athlete! Alvin Ailey dancer!
--When music comes on, she dances and bangs her hands. One of her current favorite toys is a xylophone. Jazz musician!
--Other current favorite toy: talking telephone. Receptionist.

My own goals and dreams aside, she can be whatever kind of person she wants to be. What's amazing is that she is a person! (By the way, Jason has now shown me how to make things bold on the blog, so you'll be seeing much more emphatic writing from me.)