Today our girl is three! We'd been savoring the last days of TWO, thinking about how quickly these last few years have passed. This week has been a countdown to her birthday and this morning she called to me from the bedroom, "Momma, is it tomorrow?" "It is!" I replied, "It's your birthday!" I walked into the bedroom and sang her Happy Birthday. She stretched, then lifted her arms to me and said, "Kiss." I scooped her up and she gave me a kiss, a great start to this third year.
At thirty-six months (remember, she's still my baby) Avery loves My Little Ponies, her family, sharing everything we buy for the new baby, popcorn, M&Ms, PBS, painting, reading, and My Little Ponies. No really, she loves those ponies! She dislikes not getting her way.
We've just started buying things here and there for baby brother and Avery wants to get her hands on everything. She picked out a stuffed giraffe but as she held it in her lap, and I held her in my lap while she ate breakfast and I read her a book, the giraffe kept inching closer and closer to her yogurt and syrup. I reminded her to get it away from the plate and she said, "Relax, we can wash it." We can wash it. That seems to be her response to any mess these days. She's taken to using us as her napkin and after getting queso all over Deran she told him that they could wash his shirt. When he asked her if she knew how to wash things she replied, "Actually I don't, but Momma can help us." I do a lot of washing.
Avery is a big fan of My Little Ponies, though I'd definitely say we watch it less and less. However, she plays with her pony figurines the most these days. She got several more for her birthday and she was in Heaven. Periodically throughout the day she would say that it was the "best birthday party ever." Really cute and also fantastic that she has such low expectations. The first time she said it we were snuggled on the couch reading another book while she held a few ponies. Party animals!
She has grown and matured so much over this last year. I think the two to three transition has been huge for us. She wants so much to have her independence and yet she so often turns to us, wanting to be our baby girl. Tonight she went to bed in a baby suit (onesie) complete with a pacifier. Oh yes she did. The pacifier being something we bought while out shopping for little brother. She's talked lately about things she did when she was a baby and always asks if we remember it. It's really cute and I know brought on by talk of a new baby on the way.
I sometimes like to look back over the monthly updates to see how things have changed. So many things over the last three years, and yet so many things stay the same. She still loves books, something that really brings us both joy. I love to read so much and I'm glad she does too! She is a fan of all the Berenstain Bears books, some Joy Berry, and pretty much anything with a little bit of a story. She still enjoys nursery rhymes and I love to hear her recite them.
Her imagination is always whirling and she never ceases to amuse or amaze us. Lulu and Brother are still very much a part of our lives. They joined us on vacation and one morning Avery was playing upstairs while I lounged around reading a book in bed. She told me she had to go down and get her kids (some red plastic cups). Before heading down she stopped and told me, "Be sure to keep an eye on Lulu, he's really sneaky today." Considering how mischievous he is normally I was quite concerned with that warning. She recently put a pacifier clip on my shirt then stepped back and exclaimed, "Awww, you got your first merit badge sweetie!" I'm guessing she learned about merit badges from Max & Ruby and the bunny scouts. She is so cute! Really, I could just sit back and listen to her play all day. Not that she'd let me just sit back, but still! I would! I let her nap twice this past week which meant a late night. When Deran got home one evening and saw that Avery was still napping he just asked me why. Like, why would I want to do that knowing the consequences?! The truth is, as amazingly fun as the playing is, sometimes it's nice to sit in the quiet. :)
Avery still loves to be held and snuggled. Deran pointed out a couple walking along the beach on our recent vacation. They had a cute little girl who we guessed to be around Avery's age. But wait! She was walking. On her own two legs and feet?! What is that?! It's just that when she really wants to snuggle or be held, you can't say no. Last night the three of us lay in bed watching live Pearl Jam performances on Deran's phone. Avery was cuddling so sweetly with Deran, I scooted over to snuggle. She pushed me away and said, "You can snuggle a little bit, but not all the time." So I moved away and put an arm on her which got me, "Get your hand off me." Whatever. Not five minutes later she grabbed my hand and said, "Snuggle me." And so I did.
So here we are at three years old, taking the sweet with the sassy, the snuggles with the shoves, and the baby with the little girl. I honestly can't wait to see what this year holds for Avery. She gets to start an extracurricular activity this fall and of course we are so excited to see her as a big sister, she asks almost every day when the baby is coming.
And of course the monthly iPhone tribute! I have plans for official three year old portraits coming next week. But until then, left to right, top to bottom: helping me put away the paper towels, Ming Ming!, just relaxing at Chick-fil-A, posing with her baby boy (who is wearing a lovely headband), a girl and her ponies, checking out the puddles after a rain, enjoying a chocolate cupcake, feeling the breeze on the deck at the beach house, and using fabric as a cover...after pulling all the fabric out of the container under my bed.
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