Developing a personality

My little sweetheart is growing up so quickly, I wish time would stand still. Everyday, she changes just that little bit more. Her eyes get brighter, her lashes just that bit longer and darker. She's stronger, walks more confidently and has a better sense of balance. And she's developing quite a personality.

Many people ask us if Lauren ever cries or has a temper. It almost seems unbelievable to many that she does anything but laugh and smile. The answer, alas, is 'yes'. She would otherwise not be human. Indeed, I always tell people that we are so blessed to have a daughter like Lauren. She truly wakes up in the mornings with a smile. She can spend long stretches of time in her play pen reading (yes, she actually babbles something in her own language while flipping the pages of her books and we figure she's actually trying to read like the way we read to her). If the telly is on, she can stand for almost half an hour in her pen watching the telly - she can't see much through the mesh so she has to stand, which serves us all well cos it limits the amount of TV she watches since she will sit and start reading when her legs get too tired. She eats just about anything and hardly fusses over meals. Strangers don't scare her. Relatives can pick her up and pass her around at family gatherings and she will almost never fuss. She sleeps wherever and whenever she's tired so it's easy to take her out most anywhere. But you see, it's "almost", "most" and "just about". Yes, my daughter does scream and cry, and goodness me, she definitely has a temper. This evening was one such evening. She screamed and screamed and screamed just because she did not want to be left alone in her play pen. Harry Potter had ceased to amuse her, and her books did not do. She started throwing her books and tamborine out of the pan, and she screamed till her face went all red with anger. Everyone was too busy to pick her up though, and she was told she simply had to stay in there until we all had our dinner, cleaned up and showered. Everyone must learn to be patient.

I'm quite certain she didn't really pick up on the patience bit this evening. She certainly did work herself into great fatigue and fell asleep by 8.30pm though, so peace and quiet came early tonight. Nice. Nice that quiet came early. Nice that she was screaming and yelling before that. Nice that my baby is developing a personality. I like it that she's got a temper. I like it that she tries to make herself heard and doesn't give up easily when Mum and Dad walk away. She's determined. I like it. My cheerful little bundle of cuteness has spunk. God has given me everything I asked for. I am continually amazed and thankful for the gift that is her.