25 Things about Phoebe

There's a thing going around facebook lately -- you're supposed to post 25 random things about yourself. I haven't done it, but just for fun, here's 25 random things about Phoebe instead:

Phoebe is exactly the same age today – 3 years, 7 months, 5 days – as Mallory was the day we brought Phoebe home from the hospital.

At that age, Mallory was obsessed with babies (and not just because we were having a new one); Phoebe never has been.

That’s one reason – but not the main reason – why Phoebe will never be a big sister.

Phoebe’s best friend from school is the second-shyest girl in the class (guess who’s the shyest). When they see each other in the morning, they smile, run toward each other, and then stop and avert their eyes for a few seconds before deciding it’s okay to start playing.

When Phoebe gets hurt, she will do everything in her power to not let anyone know about it. She does not want kisses or hugs or, god forbid, band-aids. She’d rather cry to herself and move on.

Phoebe just learned how to ride a tricycle.

Phoebe often tells long, involved stories to herself or to her dolls, and incorporates what’s going on around her into these stories – including once when she tripped going down the stairs. This is what I heard from the kitchen: “…and then it was time for Rainbow and her friends to have a tea party downstairs, so they all packed up to go. It was going to be a nice tea party and –“ [thud] [pause] – “oops, then Rainbow slipped and fell down the steps. But she was okay, so she got up and brushed herself off and went on her way.”

Phoebe is one of the only children in her class who can’t write her own name.

However, she’s tops when it comes to enunciation and reading comprehension.

Phoebe loves to sing and can memorize all the words to a song after hearing it only once or twice.

We have to be very careful not to laugh while she’s singing; this will make her stop.

Nothing makes Phoebe cry more than when her big sister calls her “mean.”

Every morning Phoebe tells me to pick out her clothes, and then tearfully rejects the first three outfits I suggest.

Phoebe is not a morning person.

Phoebe eats almost nothing that isn’t a carbohydrate.

Phoebe often replies to our questions with “Uh, yeah,” delivered with spot-on teenage-level sarcasm.

Phoebe is fond of relating plot points from episodes of Spongebob Squarepants.

When faced with an array of something – crayons, Tinkerbell dolls, princess stickers – Phoebe will ask, “Mommy, which one do you love?”

One strand of hair on the back of Phoebe’s head is prone to curling in a bizarre, cork-screwy way.

Phoebe’s favorite stuffed animal is a little gingerbread girl named “Teddy.”

Phoebe still loves to ride in her stroller.

If Phoebe hears me spell a word with the letter “p” in it, she’ll protest: “No, I start with the letter P!”

Even if she appears to be happily occupied, Phoebe will develop a sudden need to be with me within 20 seconds of my entering the bathroom.

Phoebe shouts out the names of stores as why drive by them: “Target! Petsmart! Applebee’s! Walgreen’s!” Once we pulled up in front of the credit union and she yelled, “It’s…it’s…it’s the…it’s…it’s the BANK!”