I don’t know how, so please don’t ask. These past three years have been… well… a blur.

I was laying in bed the other night, watching the monitor, thinking about how obsessed I am with M. She’s clever and funny and witty. It is a gift to genuinely enjoy my little human.

Nicknames: Moo, Noodle, Maddie, Mads, Toots

Stats: At yesterday’s appt. she was 32 lbs. and 3’2″

Likes: Having mom and dad together. Watching Mickey or Blue’s Clues. Eating her meals on the couch. Making people laugh or putting on a show. Reading. Dogs.

Dislikes: Work trips for M&D. Bedtime. When a character on a movie or TV show is sad. When something is broken or torn apart (like a dog toy). Geese.

Sleeping: She claims to dislike going to bed, but she sleeps like a rock all night long and cannot be described as an early bird. We read and then rock for a bit before she lays in bed. She likes us to hold her hand for a minute, sing a song, or talk about the day she had. Bedtime is usually 7:30 or 8 and she still sleeps in a crib. (I imagine this will have to change soon. SIGH.)

Eating: M is still a champion eater. She loves nuggets, fish, burgers, cheese, applesauce & apples, chocolate, Goldfish, Brussel sprouts, and salad. Plus pretty much everything else. No pickles, mustard, mushrooms, or peppers, though. She will drink apple juice or chocolate milk whenever she gets a chance.

Development: M does not stop talking. She is clever and observant. She is opinionated and crafty. She notices things and remembers things and pieces things together all on her own. I understand what she says 99% of the time and she talks in full sentences. I think most people understand 75% of what she says. She is a talker.

She’s in dance class and is mildly good at focusing and following instructions. She’s not the most athletic child, but she was cursed in the genes department on that one. Next summer we’ll probably start another sport like tumbling or soccer.

M has a majority of her books memorized. She knows 25% of her letters. I’m not sure how high she can count, but it’s somewhere between 10 and 20. She can recognize numbers up to 4 at least. She will start preschool next fall- possible this spring if I put her in a two half-day program. She really enjoys daycare and has three best friends there- Connor, Lilly, and Journee.

Personality: M is so wildly stubborn and opinionated. When she sets her mind on something, she will do everything she can to make it happen. She’s a problem solver and a determined little soul. She’s also incredibly sweet and empathetic. When someone else is upset, it really affects her and she tries to verbalize their emotions as well as her own.

She remembers so much. She brings up experiences and stories from months ago. She loves having an audience and LOVES to make people laugh. She has so many friends (more than me, lol) and she loves getting together and playing with them.

She’s fairly decent at sharing. She calls Enzo and Bristol her brother and sister. She is truly the happiest little girl when K and I are at home together, even if we’re not all playing together. She loves to be home with us.

Travel: We didn’t do a ton of traveling this year. We did some local camping trips, though. We also went to Bristol, TN for the NASCAR race at Easter. Our big family vacation was 5 days in Pigeon Forge, TN at Dollywood! We took the camper & the pups, and we realized it was our first just-us vacation. We had a really good time.

Mom’s Summary: Spending time with M is my favorite thing to do. I love to take her places and talk to her. I have never been a “kid person”, but being with my kid is the greatest. She was made for me and I really truly believe I was made to be her mom.
We most certainly have hard days. The opinions are big, which means the tantrums and resistance are big. I look forward to nap time and bedtime- because mama needs alone time. We work on manners and kindness and handling our emotions every day.
But I also didn’t know I’d enjoy the role of MOM this much. I certainly never thought so back in the newborn days. And while this season will end and a new challenge will pop up, I’m so grateful to have my Moo. I pray often that our relationship is always strong and honest and safe for her.

I don’t know the future of this blog, but this is the last detailed post about M. Writing about and looking back on her earlier days has been such a gift for me, but as she gets older, I don’t want to blast her life across the web ♡

-Aud

You can find our past developmental updates here:
birth / 3 months / 6 months / 9 months / 1 year / 18 months / 2 years