Baby Girl Turns 3

Just like last year, it's hard to believe another birthday for Smoochface has come and gone.  We still call her Baby and she's more adorable than ever with her snuggles and funny faces and that little Head Tilt she does and everything, but she's definitely growing up.  She makes jokes and tells stories and has tantrums on occasion, and is generally starting to figure things out.

In the name of keeping it real, for quite a while we've had this really weird and often distressing bedtime regression where the majority of the time she just screams when we leave the room no matter what we try or do or don't try or don't do, and no matter if we gave in to the stalling tactics or ignored them completely, and though all the websites say to just let her cry it out all over again it didn't seem to be doing the trick.  It was extremely frustrating and disheartening and causing our hearts to break on the regular but we just didn't know what to do about it.  She's just generally so sweet the rest of the time but we truly dreaded bedtime.  But, at long last, we've made some progress.  We feel like she's probably just lonely, because she's fine while we're nearby, so usually one of us will just lie on the floor next to her bed and read or write or elsewise multitask, so she knows we're not there to visit or play, but to keep company while she reads and goes to sleep.  Miraculously, it has really been working, and it's absolutely worth the time spent in her room (then we get some nice companionable silence with her instead of listening to her cry for an hour or two).  Next: how to get her to stay in her bed all night, though I admit the cozy snuggly warm body in between us at night is not an unwelcome thing to wake up to on cold nights.

Anyway, back to the real business:  She is so cute and funny and sweet.  She loves Nursery, she loves her bros, she loves her mommy, and I'm glad to report she loves her daddy too.  She dropped the binky with little to no reluctance ages ago, potty training was a relative breeze, she has a good and pretty varied appetite, she gets the usual scraped knees and bonks on the noggin that come with trying to go generally faster than her little legs will allow.  She sometimes has trouble listening but also knows how to obey.  She is observant and makes relevant remarks and jokes and always wants to know what we're talking about.  She has a lot of unique interests but she's also aware of what others are doing and enjoying.  She's both average and she's extraordinary.

Pictures!

Great baking helper

Clearly enjoying her (and our) first ever Comic Con.  She had a princess dress when we arrived but had an Accident before we even entered the venue, immediately outside of the bathroom of course.

She made up for the lack of costume the next day.

It's like she knows she's so adorable or something.

Except when she makes faces like this lawlawlawlawl.

Yes, based on the number of stickers on these charts... I'd say she has the concept of using the potty pretty well down.

Ward choir buddy.

Sunday picnic.  Those crossed ankles!!! <3 td="">

Her smile!  (And his!)

Quoth Mommy, cool shades, girlfriend!

Noticing a startling resemblance when we introduced the kids to a certain Christmas classic.

A budding artist!  All the grandkids love Nana's watercolor corner.

If there are Christmas lights on display we will find them!

First visit to Disneyland!!!  She had her concerns the first time on the Carrousel but she shortly overcame them and to this day tells us how she was "so brave!" thereafter.

Taking a little daddy-daughter walk one morning to the esplanade to clear the motel room space and give her a little breather.

Reposting this to draw your attention to...

...THIS. XD XD XD

Heading into Narnia at another small con in Sandy.

She loves a balloon animal.  I think the remaining portion of this poor creature was only just disposed of.

Her last night as a 2-year-old. So adorable when she sleeps. *sigh*

The birthday cereal box isn't really enormous, it's just enlarged to show texture.

This cake by Mommy is so amazing!!!  She loved it so much!!!

Big birthday smiles (and a photobomb by Charlie)

Happy birthday, Smooch.  You know how to work your Daddy but he also knows how to work you (as much as anyone knows how to work a toddler, ha).  We can't wait to see what 3 means for you.