Mike and I have each been trying to have more one-on-one time with Annie where we leave our house. And when I say “leave our house” I mean for more than just errands. When Mike has his time with Annie he usually takes her to the movies. When it’s my turn I usually arrange a play date, but yesterday I wanted some time with just my girl, so I decided to be spontaneous. Well, as spontaneous as one can be with a two and a half-year-old. I put Annie on her bike and pushed her to the playground at the end of our street.

Just before we left, I grabbed my camera. I haven’t picked it up much lately…when I’m feel especially down I forget about my camera, and with everything going on this summer I decided to take a semester off from taking classes. But something told me to bring my camera, so I did. Annie saw it over my shoulder and was excited. “Mama, you gonna take pick-shures? You gonna take pick-shures of Annie?”

She had a ton of fun at the playground. I like taking her there because it’s fenced in, so she can run around like a little loon and I don’t have to worry. There are a couple different swing sets, a few jungle gyms, and tons of grass. As she played in the different places, she said, “Mama, take my pick-shure! Mama, I say ‘cheeeeeeese!'” When it was time to leave the playground, she didn’t put up a fight; instead she said, “Can we look at the pick-shures of Annie?”

I loaded all the photos onto my computer, and then Annie sat next to me while I scrolled through them. She described what was happening in every single picture, but in her “Annie” way. I was cracking up. The stuff that comes out of her mouth is endlessly amusing.

Mama, I running away!
“I was running away! Really really far away! But then I wanted to come back because I was so cold!”

running!
“Mama, my mouth is open! I was saying, ‘Hi mama! Hi!’ And I was running back to you but then I stopped to talk.”

Look! I'm pointing!
“Look! I’m pointing! Mama, remember? I heard a doggy, and then another doggy, and they was barking? Look!”

I'm wunning weally fast!
“Ohhhhh….I gots princess hairs.”

I'm dwiving da car!
“Oh I’m driving da car! If you don’t feel good I can drive the car to see Dr. Looove. You can sit in Dada’s seat and I will drive. Okay?!”

I'm waving to you!
“I went down the slide, remember? And then I waved to you! And I said, ‘Come on Mama! Come down the slide Mama!’ And you went down the other slide and I was on THIS side!”

I'm pushin' my bicycle!
“Ohhhhh, I pushed my bicycle at da school! It’s gonna be my school! I go to school next week, okay?”

I'm twirling!
“I was twirling on da grass. I saw a bug. EWWWW!”

Mama! I'm a big girl!
“Mama, look! Annie is a big girl! She’s gonna pee-pee on the potty! She’s funny! HAHAHAHA! Annie! I’m funny!”

This is why I wish everyone had an Annabel.