Growin' Up

Avery continues to amaze me every day! Tomorrow she will be 3 , but she's already such a big girl. She follows movie, cartoon, and book story lines and spits them back in our face -- often when we least expect it. And she's great at pretending new stories, or re-enacting the ones she's heard before. I don't have to tell any of you parents with kids older than 3 what an amazing time it is to see your baby grow into a little person. [I have to admit she's having some major, opinionated tantrums these days, too -- very dramatic -- but they're almost all because she sees and then wants cookies, candy, cake, sugar, all associated with birthdays & Christmas].

She's really into "Elf" (the movie), and is quoting lines and singing the Will Ferrell song like it's her own. She also loves "Happy Feet" & "Under The Hedge," and frequently quotes lines from that as well ("step down, sista" for one). As for books, she can't get enough of "The Cat In The Hat" or "The Cat In The Hat Comes Back." And poor nana Noma (and the rest of us, but mostly her) has to read and/or play "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" constantly. She walks around assigning everyone roles: You be Cindy Lou Who, and Devon will be Cindy Lou Who, and Jordan will be Cindy Lou Who, and nana Noma will be Cindy Lou Who, and I'll be the G'inch." Of course part of this is nana Noma's fault; she made Avery a hat and a bag so they could pretend with props.

In general, "pretend" is a pretty major time consumer. She loves to pretend driving a car, a train, a plane (all with seat belts, of course), pretending to eat, build things, buy things, anything. It's nice to see she has a good imagination, and it's amazing to realize how much she understands and remembers!

In addition to quoting movies, books, and songs, one of her favorite line these days is: "Why are you doing that, WHY?!" (The second 'why' is always very stern & with a very funny, yet serious, face -- and it happens 100 times a day now). We are full swing in the WHY stage now! "Why do I have to wear clothes, Why?" "Why can't I have a cookie, Why?" "Why are we going to drive the silver car, Why?" Obviously some of these questions are easier to answer than others, but I always try.

Another one is: "I jus' CAN'T believe my eyes. I jus' CAN'T believe it!" Apparently there are many things she can't believe these days, because we hear this alot.

I just can't believe my eyes when I see what a big girl she is, and I jus' can't believe it when I think that she's hours away from being 3 already. She's definitely growin' up.