The sweetest

Zoë is usually a bit of a grump when she wakes up (taking after an unnamed member of our family). So at first I didn't attribute the quiet, yet ineffectual, turn of the bathroom door handle to her. I continued getting ready for a few seconds, then opened the door to see her cute face peering up at me. Good morning! and kisses we exchanged.

Then she said "No Mommy go BYU." And I said, "Nope--I'm going to the midwives to listen to Baby's heartbeep" (A Zoëism we've all adopted). My plan was to go there and head straight to work. But Zoë announced she really wanted to hear the heartbeep too, so plans were shifted and two-year-old desires accommodated.

At the midwives' office, Zoë of necessity accompanied me to the bathroom for the "sample." I thought that whole thing might be a bit mystifying for her, but instead she chortled in glee when I said she could too write her name on a cup. She took the wax pencil in hand and spelled "Z, O, E!" (Have I mentioned that she knows how to spell her name yet? Very proud parent here.) She then carried around a "sample" cup (filled with water) everywhere.

In the waiting room, she sat in the toy bus and belted out "The wheels on the bus" until another mom and child entered, when she dropped her volume to a whisper and kept glancing slyly back at me.

Once in the appointment room, she and I took turns playing "doctor" (a game she loves, recently introduced to her by a cousin). I would lie down and she would listen to the baby's heartbeep, then I would do the same to her--back and forth.

After the appointment, she came to my office, sat in a swivel chair next to mine, munched on a cookie (courtesy of a coworker), and "wrote" the words "Zoë, Dada, Mama" over and over on a little notebook.

She really is the sweetest thing. I'm so glad we're soon doubling the sweet factor in our house. (And soon it is! Next month is my last 4-week-interval appointment before going to 2 weeks!!)