Kaylee turns three

Kaylee has changed so much since her birthday last year. She's every bit as spunky and funny as she has always been, but her understanding of things, her ability to be independent, and her communication skills have grown by leaps and bounds as we have watched our toddler turn into a little girl before our eyes.

Her relationship with Karamea has really grown this last year as they learn to share and play together. It is fun to listen from the other room as they play pretend; sometimes Karamea is the mom, sometimes their princess figurines are talking to each other, and much of the time, they are playing with their horse stuffed animals.

Learning about static electricity playing between the sleeping bags at a sporting goods store.

They share a full size bed in their room and really like being together (most of the time). We switched Kaylee to the bed with Karamea when Merrick was about a month old, and we weren't really sure how it would work. But they do incredibly well going to sleep, both at bedtime and nap time. They both nap from about 2:30-4:30. (I consider it incredibly fortunate that all three kids still nap at the same time!)

Kaylee likes coloring, dancing, dressing up, playing outside in the dirt, and many other things. She is affectionate and sometimes spontaneously comes up and gives me a quick hug and says, "I love you, mom." Kaylee is also very polite. She says please, thank you, and you're welcome, and yesterday she even said "excuse me" when she was trying to get our attention. Her quips amuse us. One day she was talking to my mom about something (I don't remember what) and said, "That's not my responsibility."

She can: 

• count to 20 (with a couple of skipped numbers)
• pedal her tricycle really fast.
• say pretty much anything she wants to say, but has trouble with consonant combinations starting with the letter s. "I'm eating the smoothie with a spoon" sounds like "I'm eating the poothie with a poon"

Enjoying some one-on-one time with dad after craft time at the library.

Oh, Kaylee. How has it been three years already?! Time seems to have gone so fast. And yet, how is it that you are only turning three?! You often surprise us with your level of maturity and we sometimes have to remind ourselves how old you are. You are getting to be such a big girl and there really aren't any traces of toddler left anymore. We love your helpful, caring spirit and enthusiasm for life. Happy birthday, sweet girl!