Portrait of my younger daughter E2-Age 4

E2, so cute she’s delicious. The last vestiges of toddler chub remain on E2’s body, so I get my nibbles in whenever I can. “Mommy, people are not for eating!” she protests to me. But how can anyone resist squeezing or nipping those cute chubby cheeks, roundish belly, and juicy legs? Already this past summer she has been lengthening out, and I just know by the end of this winter my baby will be transformed fully to little girl.

The portrait of my younger daughter E2, in the form of multiple tidbits:

Four-year-old E2 already wants to be older, at least as old as her big sister E1 (age 6). Apparently life is so unfair when her sister goes off to her age-segregated extra-curricular activities, leaving E2 behind because she is not 6 years old yet. E2 really just wants to be able to do everything her sister E1 does.
She is very physically affectionate. She always seems to seek out physical touch, by hugging, cheek squishing, draping her body on yours, or asking to be cuddled. She is also very directive on how she wants her kisses and cuddles. “Ok Mommy, hold your lips like this, and we hold the kiss, until I say ‘Kiss’.”
E2 is the more mercurial of the two sisters. Her mood can swing dramatically from laughter to anger to tears to shyness in a matter of minutes. Kind of takes after my mom (Poh-Poh) this way.
She is usually the instigator of the underwear dancing time in our house. Her moves are surprisingly, shall we say *sophisticated*. I think it’s hilarious, especially with her facial expressions, but her daddy blames me for encouraging her and worries about her future.
Unlike her sister, E2 has more of an attitude of trying stuff out and damn the consequences if it’s not right. She will probably be the sister we worry about more in the teen years.
Favourite food: Mapo Tofu
Favourite stuffie: Piglet, although the pink elephant “Pinkie” (won in a vending machine in the Cleveland’s House arcade 2 summers ago) is lately making a strong showing for her affection. Regarding Piglet: Months ago I pretended to be Piglet’s voice and now she and her sister insist I keep doing it. And every time we have any pork products, they taunt Piglet about what they ate and how delicious it was, and insist that I, as Piglet, lament their food choices.
The brown with white polka dot fleece blanket Uncle B gave her is still her favourite blankie.
My favourite nickname to use when rousing her from sleep: “Good morning Munchy-Munch”, delivered with a smooch to the cheek
Prefers riding her scooter over her bicycle
Favourite hairstyles: ponytail in the back, braided pigtails, and a recent surge in side-ponytail wearing
Favourite song: Call Me Maybe, by Carly Rae Jepsen; the songs from the Frozen soundtrack
In August, she had a major breakthrough with being able to put her face in the water while swimming. For the longest time she had this real phobia of getting her face wet, even with goggles on. For over a year and a half, in 4 or 5 different seasons of swimming lessons, she was stuck in the very first level of the learn-to-swim program (Sea Turtle). Then this one Saturday at the grandparents’ condo pool, she was swimming with my dad (her Gung-Gung) and decided she was then ok to put her face in the water. And then proceeded to do it like 50 times in that hour. Also to “swim” by herself the 1 meter between him and me. She passed two levels of swimming that season.
“Poo poo, pee pee, read a bookie” is a nightly refrain when heading to the potty. At least she’s getting her reading on a daily basis. :-p
Is frightened by dogs, cats, bugs…basically all animals and wildlife getting physically close to her.
Sometimes repeats the same word in a sentence, like a word stutter. It’s almost as if her brain moved too fast for her tongue to complete the sentence, and then the brain has to back the bus up figure out where the tongue got stuck, and then help it finish the sentence…all the while she’s repeatedly saying the same word.
E2 is highly empathetic. This is wonderful of course, and we can easily explain how her actions affect others and she learns appropriate behaviour quickly. But it makes watching videos and movies full of minefields. There was this one time when she was 3 years old, we were watching a Sesame Street segment where Big Bird hurt his wing. Big Bird then spends the next part of the segment sadly watching the neighbourhood kids and monsters play and do activities that he can’t participate because his wing is hurt. E2 is being very quiet and still. I look over, and see that she has silent tears streaming down her face because she is so upset for Big Bird. I go to sit with her to comfort her, and all these emotions she’s been trying to deal with burst forth and she’s sobbing. It takes Elmo a good deal of time to comfort both Big Bird and E2 that Big Bird need not be left out and friends will find something they all can do together.
She can read the “popcorn” words and other commonly encountered words, but is still lacking confidence in herself to choose to read independently
Is still set on princesses, fairies, and dresses/skirts.

Ways she is like Mom

Often found doing silly dances
Finer, lighter brown-black hair like Mom
Has a grace and sense of her body when she moves
Has a sweet tooth, especially for chocolate

Ways she is like Dad

Hard to get out of bed in the mornings; loves sleep
Shows keen interest in cooking
Prefers to go home instead of socializing in crowds; prefers smaller groups
Prefers the white sauce in the Ying Yang rice dish
Is a cool sleeper, often kicking off her blanket. Often takes off the sweaters and jackets she’s wearing, complaining she’s too hot.

With the laugh that comes out of that body, the cheeky grin, and the impish sense of humour, she brings joy to my heart daily. I love you, E2! ~Mommy/Jen