Chloe 2.5

Chloe hasn't gotten much press here at the ChockleyBlogs lately. Connor has dominated the news cycle with his big kindergarten debut, his week-long stomach flu, and his difficult attitude. Since Chloe turns two and a half today, I thought I'd turn the spotlight on her for once.


What can I say about Chloe? She is perfection. (Yes, I knocked on wood.) She loves her family and friends and teachers and Clark with unbridled enthusiasm. She is fiercely independent, but wants to help out with whatever you're doing as much as possible. She wakes up in the morning with a smile on her face, and pretty much keeps it there until she falls asleep. When something upsets her, it barely registers before she moves back into Happyland. She just doesn't have time in her busy princess schedule to waste on frowning.


And my goodness, is she a princess! She loves to play dress-up, and wear jewelry, and carry a purse, and SHOP. Chloe does the weekly grocery shopping with me, and it has become one of our favorite rituals. A couple of weekends ago, I mentioned it was time to head to Schnuck's. Chloe put her little hand up and said, "Woohoo! Shopping! High five, Mommy!" She usually grabs a purse and at least one of her baby dolls to take with us on these excursions. She loves her babies, and is developing a frightening level of interest in Barbie. (As long as we avoid Bratz dolls, I guess I can tolerate it!) It's like someone gave her the Girly Girl Handbook and she read it cover to cover, taking notes and nodding her head in agreement the whole time.


Chloe has got a mouth on her, like her brother and her mother before her. She talks all the time, almost always makes sense, and usually cracks us up. Our car rides home in the afternoon are completely dominated by Chloe's observations on the world around us, from laughing at things she misunderstands on the radio, to pointing out motorcycles to her brother, to asking "What's that? What's her? What's them?" about every person or thing to catch her interest along our route. But it's not just the ride home, it's also dinnertime, playtime, bathtime. . . Chloe is likely to provide entertaining commentary no matter what the situation.

She's gorgeous (despite the fact that her hair is ALWAYS a mess), she's entertaining, and she's like a little ray of sunshine in an otherwise stressful and hectic world. I can't believe she's already two and a half! And I can't believe she's mine. I love you, Chloe B!