When Julianna was about a year old my mom started calling her "Sunshine." It was perfectly fitting for this delightful little girl. Julianna is a vibrant, spirited, strong-willed, feisty, yet joyful child. She is in perpetual motion, song, dance, and oh so very dramatic. She laughs all the time, it wells up within her and bubbles over with no holding back. Jules is quick to motor down the hall (and just plain fast minus a diaper). She easily wrestles any willing participant to the ground and lavishes them with bear hugs and kisses. Julianna just makes you happy when she's around. She's sunshine personified.
This week, while she was visiting us, my mom said she had decided on Ava's name. "I'm going to call Julianna "Sunshine" and Ava "Sweetheart." Once again, it was perfect. Ava is, in fact, a sweetheart. She's a little rose. She's a soft hug. A warm breeze. A familiar melody. A lamp light in the window on a cold and snowy day. A tender soul.
While Julianna is the sunrise and the excitement and anticipation of a new start, Ava is a sunset and the contentment one feels after a fully rewarding day.
While we were shopping this week Jules noticed two older girls playing together. Curious to no end, she followed them all around the toddler clothing department. When I told her she needed to stay where she could see me and I could see her she turned and emphatically told me, "Momma! I playing with girls. I talking with girls. Now! No and no and no and NO. K !!!" (And she wasn't asking if it was okay ("K"). Nope. She was telling me.) Then, she walked toward the girls turned and smiled at me. It wasn't a mischievous smile either. It was a "this is important to me and I know you get what I am saying and thanks for understanding and letting me try to play with these big girls" smile. A "we're still good, right?" smile. Then she proceeded to hand them hair barrettes and dance for them. Every morning when she wakes up she yells from her room. "Mom-eeeeeeeee. I say Mom-eeeeeee. Hey Mom!" Then when I come in, "HEY Momm-eeee. I was calling you (giggle, giggle). What you doin'?" with a big fat grin.
Meanwhile Ava is lounging in her swing cooing to herself as she gazes about the room. Then she drifts off into peaceful slumber. She's been a great sleeper from the beginning. Very early on (I'd say in the first month) she was waking twice (12 & 5 am ish) and going right back to sleep. Then, two weeks ago Ava started sleeping from 12 pm to 9 am. Then, a couple nights ago she started sleeping 10 pm to 8:30 am. All the while, she was taking morning naps, one three hour afternoon nap, and a couple cat naps in the evening. Yeah. I can hardly believe it myself. Up until this point I haven't told anyone outside the family. I didn't want anyone to call me names.
Before mom left she kissed the girls good-bye. "Love you Ava. Sunshine." Quickly Julianna Popped her head up. "I Jewy-anna. I Sunshine! Ava Fweetheart."
So, there you have it. Our sweetheart and our sunshine. : )
