Marlee at 3

Marlee-

You are a mix of so many thing. You are sweet. Kind. Generous when you want to be. But you also have this fire filled side of you. You can cut through my heart with a look, or your words. You are spirited to say the least. Sometimes you are bossy, and sometimes we butt heads so much. And other days you love on me, and do everything I ask. I kinda like all sides of you, although some days the naughtier sides drive me crazy. :)

Here are a few things I want to remember about you since you just turned 3.

You hate wearing pony tails at the moment. You cry when I try to put them in. Sometimes you win, sometimes I do.

You only like to wear dresses on our terms...like if we go to Pinedale and you know Brooklyn is going to wear a dress, than you want to too. You love jeans and tshirts. And your 2 pairs of pajama shorts...which you would wear everywhere, every day if I would let you.

You are so excited to become a big sister. You talk to him all the time in my belly, and give him kisses.  You also tell me how good of a big sister you are going to be. You are already protective over him. It is so cute!

On your baby brother note, you did tell me ever so kindly the other day that I was getting so big. To make me feel a little less like a whale (which you didn't intend on doing) you did point out that he is getting big in my belly too.

You called me and your dad "crazy people" the other day. And it was actually kinda fitting to the conversation he and I were having. It made us laugh a lot.

You call me all the normal "Mom" names-mama, mommy but probably my favorite (because of daddy) is Mama Mia. You also sometimes call Daddy-Daddio, or sometimes even Daddy Mia, which cracks me up. 

You are a sweets girl. You love chocolate. And ice cream. And especially chocolate ice cream. :)

You want to go in everywhere we go...which usually I take you, unless I have to literally run in drop something off and run back out-and I can see you the whole time.

You switch between being a daddy's girl, and a mommy's girl. Lately you have wanted us both about equally.

You solidly know all but about 4 of the upper case letters. I am so proud of you! You also know almost all the sounds the letters make. You also know some of the lower case letters, but I don't know how many...we don't really have many lower case letter things around our house to "test" you.

You are loving puzzles right now. Although teaching you how to do them (since we are doing real puzzles now, not just the there's one hole for the one thing puzzles) can be trying. You don't always like to listen to me when I tell you that it doesn't fit. I know that this is how YOU learn, but some times it's very frustrating for me to sit back and watch.

You still want to listen to Christmas music in your room. Your favorite song is jingle bells. You will make me sing it over and over with you.

You always ask me where Gavin is. And where Brooklyn is. You always ask if they are doing the same things we are...like eating dinner and going to bed.

I told you that we are going to put you in soccer. Then you got a soccer ball for your birthday from one of our friends, and you are loving it. Every day you ask if we can go out and play soccer. You also tell everyone we know that you get to play soccer soon. Thankfully your little brother will be a little bit of a distraction for you...since I just found out that soccer doesn't start til June.

You love it when we go across the street and play basketball with Daddy. You like to try to throw the ball up to the basket also. As well as trying to dribble. It's very cute.

You have now mastered a lot of the things at the play ground...and even go down the slide on your belly. Which is such a different attitude than even a few months ago. It's fun to watch you learn and grow.

You can count solidly to 12, then you skip count to 20. Why you skip count is beyond me, but that is something we will be working on soon. You went through a faze of wanting to count everything, and right now some days you want to count things and others you could care less.

You can count to 10 one to one (counting 10 things, not just counting out loud).

You know your full name, my first and last name and Daddy's first and last name. You always ask us what our other name is...meaning our middle names. You want to know everyone's name...the waitress, the doctor, the man walking down the street...everyone.  And if I tell you that I don't know, then you say "We'll have to ask Daddy or we will have to ask so and so if they know." 

You say please and thank you a lot. And you love to pray at all the meals we have.

You are literally my little ray of sunshine. I can't imagine what life would be like without you. And most of the time I can't even remember what it was like before we had you.

I love you Marlee Sue Bird. :)