Medley

Officially on leave after one of the craziest weeks I've experienced in a long time where many things happened spontaneously good and bad, just uncontrollable. So it meant rolling with the punches each day and keeping our heads up.

Today my little one is at daycare on her normal schedule and I'm off mine, which is a wierd feeling as I haven't had a day like this to myself since she was born. It's pouring rain today too so it's stretch cotton and rain boots for both of us today. Lots of things to do in preparation for the baby but also for Maggie turning 3 tomorrow. There are days and moments where I just want to freeze a good moment in time and not let Maggie grow up anymore and keep things just as they are (especially when I know life will be different soon). I've really loved aspects of every stage as Maggie has grown older. She's so good at communicating (when she's not copying baby talk) and cracks us up all.the.time. Hubby and I are often asked or we talk about if we remember what life was like before kids and we do (maybe him more than me but I think we do pretty good at keeping a balance still), but for me, I really do cherish the ups and downs we experience as we raise kids because all the good moments outweigh the other stuff and it's quiet days like this that make me appreciate it even more.

To document this age change for Maggie, here is what she's into right now:

-she LOVES to dance and we try to capture as much as we can on film. She loves singing to our local children's musician Mr. Cooper or Sugarland, the country duo that mom and dad like :-)
-everything Maggie likes is pink "my favorite color!" (and sometimes purple or another color that she will randomly bring up). Not sure if I encouraged it from birth because we didn't paint her room until she was about 6 months old or push pink clothes on her or princesses or whatever girly, she has just taken a strong affinity for girly things as time has gone by.
-we read a lot and check out books every week from the library. She has gotten really good at reading a book a few times that she likes (the Olivia series is in her top 5 right now) and then she can read the book to us almost word for word by memory. It amazes us.
-she loves to snuggle with us in the mornings and tells us it's wake-up time and that she's ready for breakfast. Daylight savings is helping her sleep in a little more this week but we're often up pretty early but we let dad sleep in a little longer on weekends.
-she's constantly hungry and has been saying she's hungry right before we leave her room at night for bed. Pretzels seem to do the trick. 2 nights ago she ate a whole orange with a vengeance in bed right before she fell asleep.
-people still comment that she looks like a walking doll with her curly hair, petite size, good vocabulary and manners.
-she loves the "Sgetti" Factory and eating out at restaurants.
-she loves meat, especially a good steak.
-she loves our cat Lily and has been talking more about pets lately, telling us that she wants a rabbit. Not a super tall order, but we'll have to think on that one.
-she likes gum and thinks it's one of the coolest big kid treats. My mom said sugarless gum is not a battle to fight and I think it just might help get rid of the binky once and for all (that and some recommended reverse psychology).

Helping dad paint baby room

Top of Heavenly in Lake Tahoe - didn't care for "cold feet"