Junebug's Ten

The girls and I said good-bye to Junebug in the daycare parking lot today. Speed had already said good-bye when we dropped him at school. Our constantly hugging girl was resistant to good-bye hugs but we snuck them in anyhow.

Junebug's was a great example of a successful case. I am thrilled with how this chapter of hers has ended and am hopeful that we will see her again (if not in real life, definitely over texts).

Ten things to remember:
10. Junebug earned the nickname "Thunder" because when she first arrived, she walked pretty THUNDER-Y and bulldozed any lego or duplo creation of the kids' down. Their warning to take cover or move their toys was "Watch out, here come's Thunder!"

9. Junebug's other nickname was "(first name) Loo Who" which was eventually shortened to Loo or LooLoo. The odd thing about this is that her mom later told me that their nickname for her was Lulu. We had been calling her that for weeks with no idea!

8. Junebug never once ate fruit despite my most desperate efforts. Not. One. Bite.

7 1/2. Biggest pain in the rear in church I have ever had. This nevvvvver changed in the almost 7 months she was with us.

7. She was our "leftover girl". The addition of Junebug to our family somehow made it that meals we could usually get enough leftovers out of to eat again didn't stretch far enough. But since Junebug liked cooked food so much more than sandwiches, I just put the leftovers in lunch containers and she kept our fridge clean that way.

6. I believe that Junebug loved us all but if she had to jump in front of a train for only one of us, it would have been Speed. The squeals out of that girl when we picked him up from school every day were ear piercing.

5. Junebug held my arm every night during dinner. If I took my hand away (because I wanted to eat every now and then), she would get upset.

4. Junebug became a pro at getting out of bed at night but had no idea how to get back in. Earlier this week, I didn't hear the THUMP of her getting out so wasn't aware she'd escaped till I found her sound asleep on the floor.

3 1/2. Junebug stole the heart of the daycare director. I'd go in the office to check out and Miss Ann would say: Do you want to hear about Junebug's latest? And she would proceed to tell me stories. Sometimes she laughed so hard through the stories that I had no idea what she said. I remember this part though: That Junebug! She's one of those who keeps you on your toes even when you want to be sitting!"

3. Junebug was a night owl and NOT an early bird. Speed is quite the early bird and was always so excited to wake Junebug in the morning. I am not sure she ever reciprocated his excitement at 6am, but that didn't stop him.

2. Junebug's favorite doll was one of Sunshine's, her favorite stroller was Speed's, her favorite purse was Chickadee's and her favorite phone was actually her own. The kids were very tolerant of her "claim" on their belongings.

1. Junebug was not a kisser at all. She did not like goodbye or goodnight kisses from me or the kids. Give the girl a hug though and her day was made. It was not uncommon to have your leg knocked into by the hugging machine and once or twice, she knocked down one of the kids when she was in her full hug mode.

Oh my little fireball, thank you for sharing this part of your journey with us. We will all be missing your crazy ways (except in church)! Love you, LooLoo.