Three Years Old

Miss Sydney

According to child development theories the past year was supposed to represent "the terrible twos". A time where you are branching out, learning more about what is around you, what you can do, & 'knowing' what you want or don't want. Truthfully, the two's didn't seem too bad. We probably have enough fingers to count how many tantrums you had over the past year & even those were pretty mild compared to what we have observed others do (your brother for example). For you I wouldn't classify the last year as 'the terrible twos', but I would call it the year of crying. For a little girl who hardly ever cried at all from the time you were about 6 months old- you certainly became a sensitive wee thing over the last year.

There was a time that you would fall and have numerous bruises & we wouldn't have any idea where you got it or what happened, because you would never cry. Now, if you do anything as simple as bump your toe you cry & want us to kiss it. Lately Mommy & Daddy are not willing to play that game with you- we trying some tough love. I am thinking that your brother has something to do with your crying. You've loved him from the moment he was born, but I do think that you have missed the solitary attention you once got. Imagine what it would have been like if you were older when he was born?

You are quite a chatty thing & you speak very well. You still have trouble with your fff sounds & they all are still shh sounds, but you are willing to let us work with you to a certain degree to fix that. We are getting tips from Noreen- although she might start charging us soon for private consultations. You are still a book lover. Now it is neat to watch you because you will pick up some of your books and tell us or your baby what the story is about. You also will bring us books & ask us to help you because you don't know the words. Your Daddy & I are both thrilled that you love books so much & hope that it continues. You have been a good role model for your brother because he too is becoming more interested in stories.

Baby is your constant companion. You play with her, read her books, take her for walks in her stroller & sleep with her at night. The past few months there have been many phases of naked Baby, but Daddy refuses to let you leave the house with her naked- so I think we are starting to leave that phase again. Besides your kitchen, she (& her accessories) is really the only toy you play with. You still like puzzles, but have not been playing with them as much lately. You just got some new ones for your birthday- so maybe your interest will be renewed. What you do like is anything related to crafts. Painting, colouring, stickers, using scissors, & stamping. You love it all & thankfully will sit with that activity for awhile- which makes it more worthwhile to get out.

You go to daycare 3 or 4 days a week & although you have fun when you are there, you keep telling us that some days you don't like going to Jo's. It seems that you are the one who is having the most difficulty adjusting to Mommy going back to work. You also have not liked sharing your Mondays at Grandma & Papa's with Jason. Now that you are only there every other week, the Sunday nights that you have come home with us have been tearful. Lucky for you though, Mondays Jo takes you guys to the library which you love. So leaving Grandma & Papa's is tough, but getting you to Jo's Monday morning is not so tough.

Now that you are getting older, it is neat to see the difference in how you play with your friends. Before now, it would be a bunch of kids in the same room playing with toys, but not really playing together. Now, you will actually play together for a period of time. You also love when your friends will come play in your room with you. You really seem to like your room & you will often spend a lot time there by yourself looking at all your books.

You really are a sweet little girl. You are considerate of your friends, you are great with your brother (most of the time), and you do a pretty good job of listening to your Mom & Dad. If I had to pick two things right now that you do that drive me crazy, it would have to be (1) the crying and (2) the dawdling. Eating meals, unless it is something you love, is often quite painful. I don't want to be the Mom that insists that you eat everything on your plate- I just wish you would pick up the pace a little bit. Getting dressed is another adventure sometimes. You want to do it yourself-which is great- but your selection & time makes me cringe.

Next year we will be getting you ready for school & the thought of that already brings tears to my eyes.