Ode to Rachel

Rachel has this bizarre need at bedtime - no, not Scooby Doo, who by the way is still in the picture and even came on vacation with us but that's a whole separate post - she needs to go potty in the upstairs bathroom, the one right across from her bedroom. Even if we make her go potty downstairs before bed, she will do so and then march right upstairs (usually chanting her mantra, "I do it myself!" along the way) and immediately go potty in that bathroom. And she will still have some pee for that potty because that's just how she is. The child is a force of nature, something to be reckoned with and I think I'm only just now realizing how much control she really has in this family.

From the very start Rachel was a sweet baby. So good-natured that she once patiently sucked on a bottle that had a clogged nipple for a good ten minutes before I noticed that the bottle didn't seem to be getting any emptier. During her whole first year she took all of Anna's poking and prodding with nothing but smiles and giggles. Most of this past year she spent a lot of time harmlessly imitating Anna. I always assumed she would be the mellow one. Even typing that last sentence now makes me shake my head at my own misjudgment. Sometime about eight months or so ago I realized that I was having to reprimand Rachel more than I did Anna. More recently Rachel has been honing her manipulation skills.

Case in point: we were headed up for bath time one night last week and Dan had just gotten home from work. Seeing how tired he was I jokingly mentioned that he should come up and help with the baths. After he declined the offer Rachel threw herself on top of him and pleaded her case. "Please Daddy, we can be a family - all together like a FAMILY! Pleeaaaaase?" I've also more than once come rushing to soothe her as she cried over a boo-boo only to have her crack up lauging once I try to see where it hurts. And then go back to the fake crying just for... practice maybe? (Yes, I said more than once. The girl can act.)

One thing that I love about Rachel is the way she talks. She often repeats Anna (or me) but when expressing herself, she is pure Rachel. Lately she's come up with some gems.

Anna hid behind a wall and jumped out at Rachel, who screamed, "I got a little scared!"

After stubbing her toe she announced, "I have pain!"

Upon falling into the toilet she yelled "I tried to be careful!"

"I'm so frustrated!" (Apply to pretty much any situation that pops up during a normal day)

My personal favorite - "I need to be alone! I need some space." Then she crawls under the dining room table and plants her head into the carpet. Facing away from us, of course.