mmmm for Mia

Mia can recognise her name and pick out 'mmm' for Mia everywhere. She can spell her name with fridge magnets and bath toys...although more often that not it's 'AIM', but still, it's pretty awesome. We went to the park the other day for a swing and 2 of the swings were padlocked together - Mia pointed out to me that they made a 'mmm' for Mia. I remember a photography project I was asigned in art school where we had to find letters of the alphabet in architecture or nature -not sure I would have spotted that 'M', but it's there if you look at it! She's a very observant and bright little girl - even if I say so myself!

Last week we had a sudden onset of big words: she described a lovely necklace as 'delicate', and put away some of Joshka's clothes 'for safe-keeping'. 'Disaster', 'wonderful', 'scurry', 'clambered' and (fan)'tastic' are just a few I can recall, but neither Ben nor I will be surprised if she writes a novel or something one day. Mia is a total glutton for books. It's quite unreal. She still assumes characters and narrates her story all day long ('Hello! shouted Noddy to Big Ears, who was sitting at the door' etc). It started when she was still only 1, when she was 'Goldilocks', but we've experienced (extensively) Pooh Bear, Piglet, Micky Mouse, Minnie Mouse and now Noddy. Of course, if Mia is Noddy, then I am Tessie Bear, Joshka is Big Ears and Ben is Mr Plod. If Mia is Piglet, I am Kanga, Joshka is Roo and Ben is Christopher Robin. If, however, Mia is Pooh, I am TIgger. Joshka and Ben stay Roo and Christopher Robin respectively. If Mia is Minnie Mouse, I am Daisy Duck, Ben is Donald and Joshka is Mickey. It's a tricky game knowing who you'll be at any given moment. Needless to say, I'm seldom 'Mommy'. I cherish it when I am!

Another thing that makes me smile and thank my lucky stars, is her appetite for food! (Real food). A few nights ago I asked her what she'd like for dinner..."Um, broccoli and noodles and carrots and kamato (tomato) and feta" -her 'FAVOURITE'! All credit for this dish goes to my friend, Susie, who made something like it for my Mom and me, one day in London. Steamed broccoli, carrots and capsicum, with tri colour pasta twirls, diced tomato (uncooked) and feta cheese all swirled together. It's actually a family favourite - you feel so healthy, and it's truly delicious! Easy too. It's now a favourite for Josh too. You can find Mickey Mouse shapes in the diced broccoli stalks... Other tried and tested goodies: brie cheese, olives, mussels, even raw tuatua (like white mussels), smoked tuatua, crayfish, sushi, thai green curry, butter chicken, stir fry, ... lots and lots of things not every 2 year old would eat.

I had to laugh the other day when we went to an 'indoor playground' at a place that has a yellow 'mmm' for Mia; we had our 50cent ice cream on our way out (a good way to encourage going home) but Mia burst into tears when she got her cone. "It's too big!" she wailed. Luckily I could easily fix that problem.