The Curious Case of Scout

Demonstrating only a partial crazy-eye and her infamous crazy hair.

With one of her favorite stuffed animals, Little Horse.

I found her this way one night when she had taken forever to fall asleep. She was finally quiet and I went in and checked on her. Apparently, she had finally found her comfy spot inside of her hamper, with several stuffed animals, back arched over the toys and her legs tucked underneath her body.

We love many things about our little Scouty, but who can resist some very specific qualities that she possesses?

Scout marches to the beat of her own drum, and even if the drum isn't beating at all. She loves to sing to herself, talk to herself, talk to her stuffed animals, and dance when there is no music. I admire her genuine creativity.

Scout takes pride in looking exactly like she wants to all the time. She is an absolute mystery to dress. The following are general guidelines, although they could change at any moment. Currently, she won't wear anything but stretchy pants and her shirt choice is based on sleeves being not too long or too short, necks not being crooked, or anything being bunched, twisted, or slightly damp. And socks! I don't think they make a sock comfortable enough for her!

Scout makes up her mind and rarely can be persuaded otherwise. I have become a master at distraction in my old age, and she's on to me. She consistently beats me at a staring/grumpy face contest. I predict that her resolute determination will serve her well in her life.

Scout is very methodical. From the way she gets dressed to the way she colors a picture to the way she walks across the balance beam. We noticed when she was just barely two years old that she liked to run. Not the way, Linc does....sprinting everywhere he goes...but for long periods of time. On that day, she ran non-stop 3/4 of the way around the track at a steady pace, never cutting across to catch up with her dad. Just slow and steady, and she loved it.

Scout loves to surprise me. She is excellent at stealthy appearing at my bedside, right in front of my face, and not making a peep until I wake up. More often than not, she succeeds in scaring me when she does it too. She is also always bringing me something that she has made (real or pretend) and loves watching my reaction. It seems to give her a little thrill. I love that she loves to make other people happy.

Scout has always had a physical overreaction to things. On command, she can make her face shake in excitement. She does this when she's happy, excited, angry, or just being funny. Her crazy eyes make me love to be her mom. She loves to make us laugh. Along with that, and not so funny, is the supersonic scream she was born with. Dave calls it her super power. She came out screaming and she can still belt it, sometimes right in your face. She even covers her own ears sometimes when she does it because she knows it's so shrill. We hope that this means she will have a great singing career.

Scout is so fun to cuddle because she is super squishy. She is an amazing back scratcher. And she recently grabbed my face and taught me the "real" way you are supposed to kiss someone. Obviously, this surprised me, ('cuz it's really how you kiss someone!) and she now thinks it's hilarious to demonstrate it when I tell the story to others. This frightens Dave, and she is now unbetrothed to several little boys.

As I finish writing this, she gave me another one to write about. After she had already been tucked in tonight, she came in and asked me where her dad was. I told her that he was out walking Summit. I went to use the bathroom, and while there, heard the front door open and close. I assumed it was Dave until I looked and couldn't find Scout. I went outside and had to run down the street and around the corner until I found her running down the sidewalk looking for her dad in the pitch black of night. Currently, she has undressed herself and is singing herself to sleep.

How can you not love being a parent?!