Pippipalooza 2012: Such a Big Girl

Pippi is growing up even faster than Junius did -- the blessing and curse of a second baby, I guess. One minute she looks like a toddler, the next minute more like a 10-year-old.

But there are a few baby-ish things I'm clinging to. I just hope she'll let me for a little while longer.

1. Nighttime snuggling: Pippi is fully potty-trained now, even at night. But we cheat a little by taking her (mostly asleep) to pee before we go to bed. When I carry her back to her room, I stand by the bed and snuggle with her for a minute or two. It's not quite the same, as her legs are dangling down for what seems like miles -- but it's still a small reminder of when she was a baby and still snuggling in to nurse at night.
2. Cute talking: It's been said that the nut seldom falls far from the tree. And when it comes to talking a blue streak, that's certainly true for the Pip. She's learning words like "exquisite" and "fascinating" thanks to Sesame Street and Fancy Nancy, so her vocabulary is keeping up the pace. But she still says "merfume" instead of "perfume," "mackin" instead of "napkin," "nimp" instead of "mint," and "kank you" instead of "thank you." You will not hear me correcting her anytime soon.
3. Couch napping: Pippi gave up the nap about a year ago. It was both a relief (to not have to schedule around it) and a heartbreak (to not have that quiet hour), but she was ready. Still, now and then she wears herself out enough (or wakes up painfully early enough) that she'll curl up with us on the couch and fall asleep. Her cheeks flush, her lips pouf out, her lashes brush against her face -- and in that sweet moment tucked into my arm, I can still see her babyness lingering under her big girl look.
4. Book cuddling: As a book nerd, I find some of my favorite moments with my children are those spent reading. Junius doesn't fit very well on my lap anymore, but Pippi can still curl up just enough that we can cuddle when we read. It doesn't last long before her legs unfurl, but I love feeling the weight of her leaning back against me while we enjoy reading together.
5. Bedtime kissing: After Pippi falls alseep at night (in her very big girl bed, of course), I go back in to check on her. She still spins and twists during her sleep, so we never know quite where she might be in the bed or which direction she might be facing. But once I find her, I lean in for one more goodnight kiss on the cheek -- her cheeks are about the only part of her that's still plump with baby fat and it's almost like kissing a marshmallow (not that I've done that, but it's what I imagine it would feel like). 

What treasured remnants of baby-hood are you clinging to at your house -- or what do you miss from those sweet early years? Or, if you're in the throes of those not-actually-always-sweet early years, what baby moments are you ready to be rid of?

Catch up on Pippipalooza 2012:

- It's On

- Preschool Musical
- The Party Plan
- Behind the Party Scenes

- Blog Post Retrospective