1. PJ loves the color PINK most of all. Please explain!
I mostly attribute this to her big sister’s influence, but there’s a chance it’s because of Pinkalicious, which is one of her absolute favorite books.
2. PJ's favorite animal is a ________________. What does he/she love about it?
I guess I’d say cats. We have three and she does love to play with them and tell people about them. She’s also quite interested in dogs when we go out for a walk in our neighborhood, though.
3. PJ would eat endless amounts of ____________ if I let him/her, but ________________ is most likely to get rejected and thrown on the floor!
Charlotte loves mac and cheese and bananas (but not together!) more than anything else. (She’s into all the toddler classics, including chicken nuggets, pizza, etc.) I have a tough time getting her to eat cooked veggies lately. She’ll eat carrots and broccoli and sometimes cucumbers if I give her a bit of salad dressing as a dip.
4. PJ is obsessed with what she calls “sing-songs” (could be a specific toy, an object, an activity, etc.). You have to explain this! This is mostly a car activity. When we’re driving, she likes to sing songs. She’ll say, “What do you want to sing next?” We’ll name a song, she says “No,” and then she’ll say “How about …” and name some other song. Favorites are Old MacDonald, the Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle and Wheels on the Bus. We are sometimes allowed to sing along, but not often. Sophie is NEVER allowed to sing. This provokes more fights between the two of them than just about anything else. Sigh.
5. Please tell us your funniest story about PJ. How did he/she make you laugh?
She’s a comedian through and through. Every day she cracks us up, often with funny statements or toddler-sized observations about things around her. An example from September:
Charlotte (home with chicken pox) and outside with me, coloring on the front walk with sidewalk chalk:
R: What's that?
C: It's a dinosaur.
R: What color is it?
C: Pink.
R: What does it like to eat?
C: Dinosaur food.
R: !!!!
6. Please tell us all about PJ's most impressive tantrum/meltdown.
Her most impressive meltdowns are behind us, I think. As an infant, she used to cry for hours when I left for work. DH used to work nights and be with her all day. She handled it so badly that I lined up daycare for the mornings because I was afraid it was going to do irreparable damage to their relationship. These days, she might fuss over something (like being forced to put on a coat or being refused a second helping of dessert) but it passes pretty quickly.
7. PJ's favorite game to play with Mommy and/or Daddy is “do the boo.” After her bath at night, she likes to lie on her bed and have me cover her up completely with the towel. Then I pick up a corner and kiss her toe or peek at her face and she says “boo.” She thinks this is the funniest thing ever. I have no idea why.
8. PJ's favorite character is Dora. Please tell a story about PJ and his/her favorite character.
Charlotte’s all about Dora. She has been chanting “Halloween, Halloween, trick-or-treat” in tune to the Dora song for more than a week now. We’re going to have to try to stop it now that the holiday’s over! I often catch her playing with the Little People doll house she got for her birthday. Sometimes the people are speaking in Spanish and the only way she’s picking that up is through Dora.
9. If PJ could choose any outing, anywhere, where would he/she choose to go?
Probably Sesame Place. We had season passes this year and went several times. She didn’t like many of the rides, but she loved the little shows they put on as well as the big parade featuring all of the characters from the show.
10. PJ's favorite outdoor toy is her water table. Nothing else comes close! We’ve had it since Sophie was 2 and the girls still love it.
11. PJ's greatest accomplishment is holding her own with Sophie and her friends. She plays really well with 5-year-olds at home and is definitely the ringleader at preschool, where she’s now the oldest kid in her class. I’m thrilled to see her adjust so well to different situations and kids.
12. "I do it myself!" What will PJ absolutely NOT allow you to help him/her do anymore?
Eating, turning the pages of a book, lots of things!
13. Everyone says PJ looks like ___________ because of his/her _______________.
Eric (my DH) with a bit of my mom thrown in. She only looks like me when she’s really hot, tired and cranky! :-)
14. If I had to describe PJ in one word it would be sweet.
15. Based upon PJ's personality and interests now, what do you think will PJ will be when he/she grows up?
I tell people she has a future as a comedian, but I could also see her being a therapist. She’s very sensitive and cares about others.
16. How is PJ's personality similar to yours? Your DH/SO's?
Charlotte is a mini-Daddy. He’s very mellow, easily overwhelmed, sweet-natured, slow to anger. (I’m so glad it turned out this way, because Sophie’s just like me and very Type-A!)
17. Fast forward to the teenage years. PJ is in high school and has made his/her own friends. What is he/she like now?
I could see her being a quiet kid who has friends in lots of different circles. She seems musical, so maybe she’ll be in the band or choir. I predict she’ll clash with her father more than me (and that her sister and I will have more fights).
18. What are PJ’s nicknames?
Charlotte Betty, Betty Boop, the Boopster, Twinkle Toes, Princess Petunia (but only when she’s cranky). DH is determined that she not go by any of the great nicknames that could go with her name, including Char, Lottie, Charlie or CC (which would work because our last name starts with a C). I think one of those will catch on when she’s older. It’s inevitable.
