Annie is 3 Years Old!

I feel like this past year has gone by fast and before we knew it, Annie’s birthday was here and just like that she’s now 3.  We’ve now moved pasted the ‘terrible twos’ to the ‘threenager’ stage.   Last year really was no different than the ones honestly, she has been our little handful since she’s been born so I wouldn’t say age 2 was any harder as she keeps us on our toes every single day. 

What’s new with her?  Talking up a storm! Her pronunciation gets better every month but there are times where I have no idea what she is saying.  And then there are times where I’m like, wait what did you say and how do you know that?  She’s a pretty smart cookie.  She still starts her sentences usually with about 10 ‘mommies’ in a row before she actually gets to what she wants to tell me “Mommymommymommymommymommy that’s yucky!”  Well how do you know it’s yucky, you haven’t even tried it #pickiesteaterever.

I’d say her favorite thing to do is puzzles.  She is knocking out 46 piece puzzles all on her own.  We actually can’t keep up with her before she outgrows and gets bored with a puzzle and needs a more advanced one.  And when she completes one, she is very proud of it but is ready to tear it apart and do it all over again. 

She also loves Playdoh.  It’s the one thing that can keep her entertained on a Saturday morning for a good chunk of time.  Mixing colors gives me a little anxiety but I’ve learned to get over it because she is the Queen Bee of mixing all the tubs of colors together.   

Potty training has plateaued at the moment.  #1 no problem, but sometimes we have to force her to do it meaning no TV or attention until you go sit on the potty.  #2 still in the pull-ups, and she totally knows what she needs to do, she just has yet to do it.  It’s like we are so close but until she has done it once, we just won’t get there.  I’ve tried every means of persuasion and it doesn’t move the needle so at this point we are just waiting for her to do it on her own.

She is still very opinionated about most everything but especially when it comes to what she wears.  The more the better in her world.  Layer on cardigans over dresses with multiple necklaces, headbands and bows.  I’m learning to compromise on her crazy outfit choices but I’m also getting smarter on this front.  I recently bought some Minnie Mouse socks for example where I can get her to wear what she may consider a ‘not so fun’ outfit (insert solids colors and patterns) because she is excited to have Minnie on her socks.  And her favorite all time color is purple so anything with purple on it is a win.  I sure hope Claire likes purple too because her hand-me downs are starting to look more and more purpley.

Purple on purple

Who dresses like this? Seriously. 

Annie was incredibly anxious for her 3^rd birthday this year.  It was cute but also challenging.  Every kid in her daycare class have birthdays it seems in Jan and February so each week she was celebrating someone else’s birthday and she asked me nearly every morning “Is it my burfbay yet mommy?”  And I’d have to tell her no, it’s not your ‘burfbay’ 😊.  So when a birthday card came in the mail in advance of her day, I gave it to her and told her it was a birthday card for her, I so wish I had on video her reaction.  She stuttered a bunch and got very serious going ‘What? What? What? It’s my, It’s my, It’s my BURFBAY?!!”  I then realized what I’ve done and had to explain to her it’s ALMOST her birthday but not quite.  She was on cloud 9 when that card arrived and carried it around with her for DAYS. 

Given that Claire’s having her big 1 year birthday this year, we decided not to have a formal party for Annie but just celebrate hers at the same time we do Claire’s.  I feel like we only have a few years in these early years to get away with combined parties so taking advantage of it while we can.

Rather, we decided to celebrate Annie’s birthday by doing fun things all that weekend.  I took the day off from work and went into her daycare and brought a big cookie cake and watched all the kids sing HBD to her and played with her and her friends that morning.  She loved having me there.  One kid even said, “My mom didn’t come in when it was my birthday.”  Ya well, take that up with your mom kid.

Love this video from daycare, it's like the look on her face as she is looking around is like "I've been waiting for this moment for a LONG time": 

Saturday morning, we took her to Build-A-Bear and even though she isn’t big on stuff animals, I thought it would just be a fun experience.  She did love it and although the bear just sits in the corner of the room now, she hung onto it for a good day.  And we got lucky as there was a purple bear that was just perfect in the clearance bin, win for our wallet/win for Annie.

Later that afternoon, we took Annie and one of her good friend’s Alaina over to the nail salon for their first pedicures.  Of course, Annie wanted purple and insisted that Alaina couldn’t have purple but could have pink.  Which luckily all worked out well as Alaina didn’t want purple.   Annie actually sat very well thru it, I was a little unsure how it would go but was happy to see she loved every minute of it.  It’s gives me some good insight of the fun girly stuff we can do together more often.   She wanted her finger nails done and I told her no way, stop sucking your thumb and I’ll let you.  She also has been wanting her ears pierced and I’ve told her not yet to that too.  I know, I’m such a mean Mom, aren’t I?! #hardly.

I’d say our biggest struggle is keeping her in her bed after lights go out.  Once she’s asleep, she actually has been staying her in bed at night pretty well with a few rare nights here and there.  Which I think is probably pretty normal for most parents.  It’s the whole, I have to go potty, need to brush my teeth (again), hunger pangs kick in, the thirst is unquenchable, she lost her lovey (BTW, we’ve watched her on the monitor purposely shove it between the bed and the wall and then come running out saying her lovey is lost).  Her delaying tactics is an exhausting process that I’m looking forward to her outgrowing. 

She also lately likes to argue with me in the car.  “It’s green mom, GO!”  (as she kicks the back of my seat).  Child, I can’t move this vehicle until the car in front of me goes.  And if I turn right on red, total pandemonium breaks out in the backseat.  Then I have to justify to my 3 year-old that I CAN turn right on red.  I have a true back seat driver now.  OH Annie, this is just one of the many examples of everyday life with you!

And that’s a wrap, we got a threenager ruling our world now in the sweetest, cutest, most exhausting ways.  We love every bit of you, Annie ‘Bonanie’!