Maren: Q&A

This recent Q&A session with Maren gives you a sense of what matters in her little world:

"What is your favorite color?"

"Pink and purple." 

"What activity do you like to do the most?"

"Play bakery shop."

"What outfit do you like to wear?"

"My rainbow swimsuit."
"What is something you would like to try?"

"Ballet class."

"What is your favorite food?"

"Watermelon and cupcakes."

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"A baker in a bakery shop."

"Is there any place you would like to visit?"

"Grandma's house."

"What makes you happy?"

"Playing with my [toy] cupcakes in my bakery shop."

Is she a girly-girl or what!  I love that she is starting to establish her own unique preferences.  She follows Ezra's lead most of the time in the how and what of their dramatic play.  Only just recently has she become enamored with the idea of being a baker, something Ezra could care less about.  She likes to line up various play food treats--chocolate chip cookies, scoops of ice cream, and cupcakes with colorful swirled icing tops--on display in our little indoor play house.  "Who wants to buy some treats," she will call.  "I have sweets at my shop, come see!"

Also in the last month, her art is something other than indistinguishable scribbles.  Ezra fills notebooks with his art, and until recently Maren only had the patience for one quick single-color scribble.  I was surprised and so pleased when she did her very first self-portrait--wearing a fancy purple dress, of course.  And, she has figured out the "alligator" pencil hold and can make very nice letters "m's (or up-down mountains, as she calls them).  

Maren loved visiting the library on Thursday afternoons when Ezra was in preschool for "Mommy-Maren time".  Our public library has a lovely play area in the back of the children's section that has a rotation of themed play areas: vet clinic, fire station, Asian restaurant, doctor's office, and Maren's personal favorites, bakery shop and flower shop.  When I think of a truly content, at-ease Maren, I think of her on a quiet day in the library play area.  Ezra far away, Jonathan asleep, surrounded by favorite play things, and Mommy all to herself.