Personality Goes a Long Way

Penny turned 11 months old a week ago, and mom and dad are still coming to terms with the realization that she’s been with us for almost a year. It’s hard to imagine that in June 2006, we lazed in front of the TV, mom hugely pregnant on the couch and dad chillin’ on the floor, watching World Cup games. We had NO IDEA what our lives would become and could scarcely conceive Penny’s face, her ears, her arms and legs, and most of all, her personality.

Except when teething, she is a lot of fun these days. She mimics like a monkey and babbles like a brook. She sprints (well, sprint-crawls) for the dishwasher when mom or dad opens its door and likes to stand wherever there’s a crib bar, baby gate, coffee table, cabinet, chair.... And when she’s playing or eating—it’s often hard to distinguish between the two—she assumes one of three personalities that mom and dad like to call little monster, little bear and little prospector.

Little monster

Little monster Penny appears most often on Saturday or Sunday mornings when mom or dad has gone to grab little Penny from her crib and bring her to the big bed so mom and dad can stay in a reclined posture for that much longer. Little monster Penny likes to crawl from head to foot of the bed, trampling over all in her path (to include blankets, pillows and dogs), working up to her knees, and then shaking the bed frame while crying out, “RAAAAHHHHHH!” Now that she has a single, sharp tooth protruding from her bottom gum, the little monster roar is that much more impressive.

Little bear

Little bear Penny often emerges during mealtime. When presented with finger food, Penny likes to shove a few (or ten) pieces in her mouth and then swat at the remaining pieces on her tray…as if she is a big grizzly bear, waiting for a trout to come within her grasp, she swats at the food, proud of her kill. She also often smacks her food two or three times in a playful way to make sure it’s dead before eating it. This behavior could also be described as little kitty Penny.

Little prospector

Little prospector Penny is our favorite personality. When Penny is playing on the floor, like many children she crawls from toy to toy, as one becomes more interesting than the next. Each time Penny discovers a new toy, she turns it over in her hands two or three times and then gives it a good chomp. Is she checking for purity?

We were going to dress Penny up as a nickel for Halloween this year, but now we’re thinking that a little beard, a plaid shirt, a weather-worn hat, and a sifting pan would look just great!