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At 3, there are so many things that you do that I hope I never forget. You have become such a sweet and caring little girl. Probably 3 or 4 times a day, you stop whatever you are doing and say "Mama?" then wait on me to acknowledge you and then you say "I love you," and go on playing with whatever it is you were doing. It melts my heart EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Speaking of dance, you are still taking dance this year but we switched to a new company. This year you get to do both tap and ballet and you love it. Your best friend, Norah, is in your class and you two seem to have the best time. I love getting to watch you through the parent window. After your performance on the stage last year in which you wanted nothing to do with dancing in front of the crowd and you sat in my lap, curled in a ball the entire time on stage (it was a mommy and me class so all the moms were sitting behind the dancers), we weren't sure if dancing would be your "thing." However, this year you have come leaps and bounds and have broken out of your shell. Your class has put on two performances in the big room for all the parents and children/parents of other classes. You have danced your little heart out both times. You had such a proud look on your face and were trying to do every move so perfectly that it made me tear up to watch you. You looked so grown up and I was so proud for you. I can't wait to watch you on the big stage this year.
You absolutely love school and love your teachers. When we are out for holidays, you constantly ask to go to school. You have the best teachers this year and we are so thankful for them. You have learned so much. You now know all of your colors, all of your letters (you can say them and identify them), can count past 10 (but I don't know how high), and you know all of your shapes. You are constantly amazing your daddy and me with the things that you know. You have the sweetest class and you love your friends. Speaking of friends, you have started talking all about "boys." You have the biggest crush on Jackson Youngblood and will get giddy if we even mention his name. The other day you told me "Mommy, I want Jackson to be my prince, but Norah wants Jackson to be her prince too." and you proceeded to give me a full dialogue of a conversation you and Norah had over who was going to have Jackson as her prince. One day at Lovie's house we told you to tell her about your "boyfriend." You got so giddy and giggly and wouldn't do it. Your daddy and I started naming all of the boys in your class and for every name you instantly said "no!" When we named "Jackson" your face lit up, you had the biggest grin and you said "Yes!" and then buried your head in your hands as if you were embarrassed.
You are so thrilled and so excited for your baby sister to get here. You constantly want to give my belly a hug and a kiss and you talk to her in my belly often. You are going to be the best big sister and such a big helper for me. You constantly talk about how you will help feed her, play with her, hold her, rock her and change her diaper; though you are very adamant to let me know that you will only be changing the tee tee diapers not the poo poo diapers. haha
Speaking of babies, you have become obsessed with your Bitty Baby doll that Lovie gave you. You have named her Emily (you gave her that name the minute you got her a year ago. We have no idea where that name came from because we don't know anybody named Emily, but you love it and it has stuck!). You want to carry her with us every where we go and you treat her like she is your daughter. The last two weeks, you have changed her clothes every single morning and every single night. You make sure she is dressed in clothes for school and pajamas for bed time. You talk to her like you are her mama, and it makes me laugh to hear you say things to her that I constantly say to you.
You LOVE art. You love to draw, color, and cut. You have started coloring in the lines which impresses your daddy and me. Your favorite thing to do is to cut paper. You will sit and cut any kind of paper just to be "cutting." Sometimes it aggravates your daddy and me because it ultimately ends up with tiny little pieces of paper all over the place, but you have gotten good at cleaning it up when we ask you to...with a little help of course. You have started writing your name which is completely unbelievable to us that you can do this at 3 1/2. It's definitely not perfect, but are really starting to be able to make out some of the letters. You get so proud whenever you do it to. Anytime you do any kind of art work, you want to hang it on the refrigerator. I love seeing your little masterpieces hanging there.
You have your own sense of style. Probably our biggest obstacle with you over the last several months was getting dressed. You are very opinionated in what you want to wear and are very particular. Sometimes we give you options and you will pitch the biggest fit because you don't like the options, or sometimes you think you like the options and then when you start putting them on you cry and pout because something is "too tight, too itchy,too short, too long,"etc. Sometimes I think I am going to make an "easy morning" and give you your "favorite choices" or things that I know you have loved and asked to wear in a previous week. I may even give you full range of your entire closet at times. Well, sometimes that backfires and something you loved the week before, you hate the current day. I will say because your daddy and I have been even more strong willed than you and have not let your "fits" win out, you have gotten better for the most part. Knock on wood, but for the last 3-4 weeks you have gotten much better at this and have been much more easy going, though we still have our days at times.
You are sleeping all night in your big girl bed and have been since your third birthday. I still lie down with you for a little bit each night. I love those moments because that's when you want to talk my ear off and tell me little details from your day or whatever is on your mind. I do often have to tell you to stop talking and that it's time to go night night, but for a few minutes each night I let you clear your mind. After a warning or two that it's really time to go to sleep, you often say "Can I tell you one more thing?" I often can't resist and let you tell me another thing or two, before I then get stern and say "No, tell me in the morning." haha
At 3, you want to do everything all by yourself. Whether it's opening a water bottle, getting dressed/putting your shoes on, buckling your car seat, opening the car door etc; whatever it is, YOU want to do it and you don't want anybody to help you. When daddy and I are doing chores around the house, you want to help with that too. You want to do it all. If I have a clorox wipe and am wiping down the counters, then you want a clorox wipe of your own so you can do it too. I do like having you as my helper most of the time, and I know the time is coming when I will want you to help me with chores and you won't want to.
Things your say that I think are cute...
--You love McDonalds and ask to go there every Thursday after dance because it is right down the street. You call it "Oh McDonalds" though. haha I guess from learning the song, you think that's the name of the restaurant and I love to hear you say, "Can we go to Oh McDonalds?" Makes me smile every time.
--You often say "do's" instead of "does" and I can't stand to fix it because it's too cute. For instance you may say "Daddy do's that."
--There are so many other things that you say that are so cute right now, but I'm drawing a blank. I'll have to come back and add them as you say them.
So, I guess that about sums everything up for now. I truly love this stage. Three has been our best year yet, and I would give anything if I could freeze time and keep you right at this age forever. I can't wait to see what the next year has in store for you, especially as you take on the role of big sister.
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