The return of warmer weather has been most welcome, especially since it means it’s officially ice cream season!  I don’t actually like ice cream – I think it’s too cold.  But I DO so enjoy the toppings.  Any time my brother asks to go out for ice cream, I’m right there by his side asking for “neminems and shprinkles” (M&Ms and sprinkles), my favorite dessert.  Well, almost my favorite dessert.  I also like cupcakes a lot.  Even when I’m not eating them I’m talking about them constantly.  When I play with my pretend food I always pretend to pass out cupcakes at my picnics, and one of my favorite books is Pete the Cat and the Case of the Missing Cupcakes.  I have a lot of opinions about this book, including the fact that Grumpy Toad should not have taken two cupcakes – we only one cupcake, lest we get a “belly ache.”

I really love having books read to me, and other than Pete the Cat, my current favorite is probably A Day In the Life of Marlon Bundo, which I call “Moiy-lun Bundo” (I’m still working on pronouncing my “Rs”).  One of the characters in that book is the Stink Bug.  Stink bugs, or “stinky bahgs,” as I call them, are my nemeses.  I can spot ants and other bugs from about a mile away, and when I do, I make my brother dispatch them for me.

I’m turning into a strong willed little lady with a very big heart and a personality to match.  I’m becoming increasingly comfortable ordering my big brother around, and going toe to toe with him when necessary.  For example, when I was a bit younger I would be satisfied to eat whatever yogurt flavor he didn’t want, or whichever package didn’t contain his preferred character.  Now I’ll make a scene if he gets a Sponge Bob on his Gogurt in the morning and I don’t.  My biggest complaint about my brother is that he doesn’t let me go first as frequently as I would like.  My favorite thing is to “go first” when we’re going up or down stairs.  I’ll yell “follow me, Salands!” and I get very upset if he charges on ahead of me.

Current likes: being the leader

Current dislikes: when my brother doesn’t respect my authority as leader

Spring has sprung here in the Hudson Valley, and so have my freckles!  I’ve spent some quality time in the garden with Mommy this past month (helping her get ready to list our house for sale) and the result has been a little constellation of freckles across the bridge of my nose.  I like to point out to my sister that she has only one freckle, whereas I have a lot, like Mommy, so it’s sort of a status symbol.  Planting our garden has helped me learn a bit about how plants grow, and I can tell you that all plants need three things: dirt, water, and sunshine.

I’ve been working on trying new things, and although I’m still pretty timid (especially at the outset of new activities), I was willing to try rollerskating for the first time this past month.  And I almost kind of liked it!.  I’ve also been working on my math skills, and can fairly reliably add two or three one-digit numbers together (for example, I know that two plus four more plus two more is eight).

My favorite thing in the whole world right now is my sticker book of sweets, which I guard with my life.  I love talking about all of the goodies contained within my book, and if you’re especially nice to be I’ll grant you a sticker.

Current likes: the Rio movie and the Penguins of Madagascar movie

Current dislikes: when my sister gets her hands on my sticker book

Easter and Passover coincided this year, so we headed down to Washington, D.C. for some time with our aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Everybody had a great time scrambling around a park near Aunt Dede and Uncle Charlie’s house at a neighborhood egg hunt, and then we did a family-only version later at Auntie M and Uncle Jeff’s house.  Holidays … what’s not to like?