Madeline at (a little more than) Two and a Half

Madi 2.5:

• Perhaps not as nutty as we once thought.
• When determined to be nutty (some might say defiant/disobedient) she is incredibly strong willed.
• This, however, is coupled with a complete aversion to punishment. 99% of the time she cries tragically at even a fake spanking (You know the sort -- where you only make contact with the diaper and she probably didn't actually feel anything).
• She's still funny. She has an ear for funny phrases and noises and repeats them at funny times.
• I can't tell yet if she's shy or not, but she's definitely happiest in groups if she's being held. She's super affectionate--patting and scratching our backs all the time. But make no mistake--she clings. (Which I've just decided to enjoy.)
• So, she can be clingy in a group, but at home, she plays more independently than Mer usually did/does. She doesn't mind being on her own. She "re-boots" best by sitting on our bed with a stack of books.
• She tells people to call her Madi-Poo. We don't know where this came from. Needless to say, it's not exactly the nickname we might have chosen. If you call her something silly, like "Crazy girl," she'll correct you and say, "No, I Madi-Poo." Awesome. She's correcting her teachers, too.
• She's a weird eater. Won't eat if she's tired. Likes to eat the same thing over and over--3 bowls of sweet potatoes, 4 containers of yogurt. Overall, favors fat over lean. My girl.
• Meredith loves it when her sister quick steps/stomps through the downstairs rooms.
• Meredith loves it when Madi dances spontaneously (and there's usually not music). What's not to love?