Year End Dashell Stories

Dashell continues to be one of a kind. Brigg thinks he is probably our silliest kid, which is saying something considering what goes on around here on a typical day. He is a huge tease, makes funny voices and can be just plain crazy. After our trip to Disneyland, I took his fantastically ugly mouse ears and used my sewing machine to adjust the size of the chin strap so they stayed on his head a little better. He was so amazed at the fix that he became convinced that my sewing machine could fix ANYTHING. The stack of things on my sewing table has grown to include a broken plate, a torn art project, a book with a page missing, a broken car, a wooden alligator with a leg missing and a tractor missing a wheel. I have to gradually moe the things somewhere else so that he doesn't get upset at me for refusing to use my magic sewing machine to make them better. He also created a new song for himself during the month of December that he would sing as he ran around the house. It was very to the point and repetitive: "Look at me, look out for me. Look at me, look out for me." I think the combination of a request for attention with a warning of the consequences is perfectly suited to this particular child. His hugs can still give you a split lip if you don't see them coming in time, and I do wish that were an exaggeration. He runs so hot and cold, sometimes you don't know what you're going to get. He has been an unexpectedly helpful and sweet big brother to Pilot. Before Pilot could crawl, he would lay by him on the floor and say, "Pilot, if you want a toy, just tell me and I will get it for you." Brigg travelled by himself to Sydney andJeff's wedding in December and Dashell insisted on packing him a bag of toys for the airplane. When it came time for going to Santa at Christmas, Dashell's requests were a PEZ dispenser and a Buzz Lightyear toy for Stratton so that he wouldn't have to share his anymore. He has to be one of the only three year olds I know asking for toys for their brothers. On the other hand, the mishief and trouble in him is alive and well, too. We got a plate of fudge one night from some friends after the kids had gone to bed and I left it on the counter and didn't think about it again until the next morning when Stratton came running upstairs yelling, " Mom! Guess what? Dashell can fit 4 of those chocolate squares in his mouth at once!" By the time I got downstairs, most of the fudge was history, although Stratton had pitched in, too. He still makes the Hulk face sometimes when he gets too wound up, and then you had better watch out because he could bite, head butt, kick, body slam or lash out in some other way. He continues to talk up a storm with only a few little funny turns to his words. Our favorite is when he says " What on urf is that?" And that he calls the Wappetts, Whoppers and vice versa. And the pretend voices he makes for all his make believe personas, builder man, dump truck man, space man and so on. He even has a voice for when he's pretending to be me. All in all, he continues to be more charming than is good for him and get into more trouble than we can believe sometimes. And we love him!

The long awaited PEZ of Christmas.