A few things I don't want to forget

How the other night, while sitting on my lap, Cali spied the tube of sunscreen sitting on the lamp table. She picked it up and started poking it in my face, using the poky bottom corner, and at first I was irritated. Then she put the tube down and started patting gently at my face with her tiny hands. Then she picked up the tube again and poked it at my arms, put it down, and then oh-so-softly patted and stroked my arms. I realized she was putting sunscreen on me. My sweet girl!

How last night I read her Goodnight Moon and when I got to the last line, "goodnight noises everywhere," she looked up at me with a happy expression, grabbed her nose and said "noh!" I am quite certain that she thinks the last line is "goodnight noses everywhere", and this makes perfect sense to her.

The way she says "cute" ("tyoo"), with the most delighted look on her face, when she sees pictures of herself or other babies. Or, every time I get her dressed, she runs to the room with the big mirrored closet doors, squats down in front of her reflection and says "tyoo, tyoo"!

How, one day, she was lying back on her dada's chest, looking up at the sky, pointing out the birds. "Dut!" she would cry, pointing at each seagull that flew overhead. Finally, she saw a jet airlpane fly overhead and looked at it for a long time before finally pointing at it doubtfully, and saying "dut?..."

How, at the park, when she climbs up the stairs to the slide, their smooth dark rubber warm in the summer sun, she saws " 'ot, 'ot!" and blows on them to cool them down.

The little siren noise she makes whenever she reads her Corduroy book ("uh-oh, Corduroy smells smoke") or sees a fire engine from her car seat. It's the tiniest little buzzing siren noise that she makes through pursed lips, and it's delicious. I want to just gobble her up like the little piece of candy that she is.