Terrible Twos? Not! ⇒
Time flies with kids-everyone tells you that when you have a baby and you think "yeah, yeah. I know it does" And then the baby starts crawling and then she turns one and then, all of a sudden, she is THREE and starting preschool on Tuesday.
The past three years has been incredible for me as Elise's mother. I am so fortunate that I get to stay home with her and watch her grow into a beautiful girl. In my most positive mother moments I take credit for her good and happy nature. She has excellent manners, goes to bed easily and doesn't throw many tantrums. As many people tell me, she is an absolute delight.
In my "bad mother" moments, I chastise myself for losing my temper, nagging her to do as I've told her, or just saying the wrong thing. For example, threatening that they'll send her home from preschool if she doesn't stay dry only to have her repeat the same days later, long after I'd forgotten I had even said it. (well, in my defense I actually thought a little push like that might help her over that last potty training hurdle). Man, I stayed awake for hours that night feeling guilty about the effect my simplest words have on her. (incidentally, I told her I was wrong about the sending her home from preschool thing after I went to the parent night on Thursday! Whew! Crisis averted)
We are both really looking forward to preschool starting on Tuesday. Elise turned three yesterday and when I told her it was her birthday and she is now three she said "Three years don't use suckies anymore" as she put hers up on the counter (twinge...) "Now I get to go to preschool!"
Elise is still on the quiet side which I must admit works really well for me. She gets a bit overwhelmed by too many people and too much noise but likes small groups and is not shy by any means. She loves going to the park and picking berries on the path in the woods across the street from our house. At the park she loves to climb and balance. She likes Daniella ok but is a bit afraid of her since he tends to pinch and bite (who could blame her?) but they are starting to play together and enjoy making each other laugh. The other thing she is really into right now is playing with small things like the dollhouse furniture at Grandma and Grandpa's house.
She loves to do things by herself. We get through the day, especially at meltdown times, by giving her choices to get her to point B. For example, if I need her to get dressed I say "would you like to pick your clothes or shall I?" My favourite answer to that question, by the way, is "Shall you."
She doesn't like dogs or cats (though she doesn't mind looking at them she's just a bit afraid of them). She also doesn't like peppers.
Some of the funny things she says include: "I'm not coping very well" "I prefer..." "I fancy a snack" "I need nuuuuuvv" while pointing with her two little hands "I want some nittle bit milk"
I have absolutely loved Elise's two's and I certainly hope her threes are just as much fun (though I've heard that sometimes it's actually the terrible threes) We'll see but at least I know it will be an adventure every day!
I love you, Elise. Happy birthday my beautiful girl.