Like Johnny Appleseed... only with crayons

Molly loves to color.

Check that - Molly loves to create with ANY kind of art supplies: crayons, markers, glue, glitter glue, glitter stickers, stickers, puffy stickers... Well, you get the idea. In fact, we don't go ANYWHERE without the cutest little Crayola marker set I got her. She can entertain herself for hours with that little pouch o' magic -- including while riding around in a cart at Costco. (It really is the perfect gift for the preschool set.)

We're swimming in artwork at home. I have it on the walls, on the fridge... heck, I even framed some pieces and brought them to work. And I send regular shipments of artwork to grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, third-world countries, and the local recycling center.

Recently, Molly has been coloring pictures and giving them to different folks. It's all her idea... and once she has created artwork for someone, it's done -- that person MUST receive the present... and I'm usually the one to deliver it.

Here's a quick list of random folks she recently gifted with her art:

- Her teachers at school

- Her ballet teacher

- My colleagues

- The unborn baby of a colleague

- My boss

- The receptionist at my work

- Voted-off American Idol contestant Alexis Grace

- The sick elephant at the zoo

- "Food to Try" lady handing out chicken nuggets at Costco

I'm trying to scan all of my favorite pieces to archive them... but it's hard to keep up with such a prolific artiste!

Meet the Peanut

So, Molly - here you are at 3-1/2. You have crazy curly hair -- which you actually get from your Daddy at that age. (We have matching hair now - but I had peach fuzz until I was 4.)

What do you like? You love elephants, America Idol, ballet, and reading books. You're sweet and loving. And you're our little safety officer - always making sure the basement and shower doors are shut, reminding Daddy not to rock in his chair or talk with food in his mouth, and asking me if I have the van lights turned on when we're driving. (In fact, your favorite cartoon vignette on Playhouse Disney is Lou and Lou Safety Patrol!)

Your Daddy and I have LOTS of nicknames for you -- Peanut, Princess, Pumpkin, Molly Balloon, Boo. In fact, I call you "darling" and "sweetie" so much that the other day, when you were pretending to be the mommy, you called, "Come on, darling! It's time to go!"

Love you, Peanut!