Tori-bug

Nancy just tagged me and asked me to write about Tori. I'll just do this off the top of my head and might miss some important things. Tori is two (three in July). I think she seems quiet and tentative to other people. She doesn't talk a great deal around others or interact much with kids she doesn't know well. But that's not at all who she is. Here are a few Tori highlights:
1. Tori is very funny. We often talk about funny things she has said during the day. For example, we have had to get after Eli a few times for bathroom humor. Tori has really taken it to heart. Recently John said, "Someone has a stinky diaper," and Tori responded, "Daddy, we don't say bathroom humor." But the funniest thing is that she'll often go through and say the things we shouldn't say, ostensibly as a reminder, but she seems to be taking too much pleasure in it. She'll say that we don't say, "butt," but I tried to explain that we sometimes say something like, "I'd like to go but..." because I didn't want her harassing people who were using it innocently. So now she says, "We don't say 'butt;' we just say the good "buts."

2. Tori loves to be Violet from the Incredibles, Minnie Mouse, Pink Ranger or a kitty. Her favorite toys are stuffed animals. I wish she would love princesses and dolls more, but that's hit and miss. When she was invited to a princess party, I excitedly said, "Tori, we can get you a new princess dress!" She started to throw a fit and said that she did NOT want a princess dress. Later she changed her mind, but she was only interested in Cinderella. Also, on Sundays, I can't get her to wear the puffier, dressier dresses. I think maybe it's just a power struggle issue(rather than an actual dislike of dresses), since it means too much to me. She can be a stubborn little thing.
3. She is extremely imaginative. She can take any objects or toys and create little scenes with dialogue. I love to listen to her in the car. The other day her little doll didn't want to wear her dress but the mom finally talked her into it, and today, her two pieces of licorice were fighting. Her little characters are always saying, "You're my best friend," or "I love you," to each other. She can entertain herself for long periods of time - she always has been able to. She prefers playing with Eli, though, or with Lacey from downstairs. 4. When she has a bad dream, the images stick with her. She is still scared of Scrat from Ice Age and of crabs. Lately she doesn't want us to leave her alone at night because she gets scared. John gave her a blessing last night so that she could go to sleep. When she's scared, and we're not there, she wants to be in the closet, on the top bunk or on the floor, which is interesting. I rarely find her in bed during her naptime.
5. She loves the color pink, Mickey Mouse (and the others - Goofy, Donald, etc.), and treats. Her favorite show is still Max and Ruby. She really likes the Sing Along Songs videos - especially the one that shows Disneyland. Her favorite amusement park ride is Bulgy the Whale. She is frightened by rough play (like being swung around) and when she rides on rides, she looks pretty nervous, although she claims to like them. (She'll always come off of them saying how brave she was, even with the most simple rides.)
6. I'm going to add one more. Tori is very cuddly. When she is sad and crying, she'll say, "I want you to love me!" meaning hold her and give her loves - even if she's crying because she's mad at me. When you lie down by Tori, she cuddles up as close as she can. She and Eli are both sleeping in the same bed for now, and we have to put stuffed animals between them, or she rolls right over to him in the night and wakes him up. She will give big, long hugs to just about anyone, particularly relatives. She often says she loves me, and she'll say, "I love Claire" - or whomever we're talking about at the time. Tori is a sweetheart. I don't know what I'd do without her.