3 Years Old

 Millie turned three years old on Sunday!  This was the first year that her birthday was a lot of fun for ALL of us.  She really knew what was going on this time and enjoyed every second of being in the spotlight!

I decided to try to interview her for her birthday and ask a few of her favorite things.  The video will drive you nuts because she won't quit putting a blanket over her head and spouting off random pretend scenarios.  However, she was answering the questions so well, I hated to scrap it and try again later.  Putting a blanket over her head is a new funny thing to do.  She's silly.  Video: birthday interview

A few of my favorite answers...

• best friend: Noelly (Noel's nickname) and Cayden lives with her at the park
• favorite animal at the zoo: wolves (and the strange look and nod she gives after answering)
• favorite color and also favorite kind of ice cream: pink
• favorite thing to do with mommy: color
• favorite thing to do with daddy: chase

She was super excited to get a "tractor", as she calls it ;)

Her birthday cake was pink AND had a candle - both specific requests.  We may have started a new tradition by having birthday cake for breakfast.  She gets very excited to blow out the candle!

She loves to hold up three fingers...and point out any number 3s she sees on signs, cereal boxes, mail, etc.  Video: make a wish, Millie!

daddy's girl

my funny face maker

Millie's current likes:

painting, riding tricycle/bikes/tractor outside, chocolate, going to the zoo, corn dogs, having her fingernails and toenails painted, water bottle-y with juice, playing chase, chasing syd, pestering syd, swinging, swimming, watching Little Bear, going on an adventure, playing dinosaur cave, going to the "yellow park" or the "red park", getting the mail, gummy worms, going to the ice cream store or cupcake store, going to Chuck E Cheese, dancing to "Whip Your Hair", singing "Let It Go", singing along with movies and TV shows, coloring with markers, pretending to read books to Buddy, playdates with Cayden, picnics at the park, cucumbers, carrots with sauce (Ranch), picking flowers, pouring pretend tea or coffee ("be careful, it's hot!"), blowing dandelions, reciting 10 trick-or-treaters book, throwing rocks in the pond, blankie rolled up in a "taco".

Millie's current dislikes:

having her hair fixed, going poop on the potty, meat, going through the car wash, saying sorry, sitting in timeout.

Millie says:

• there are certain words that she flip-flops: wash-car for car wash, pack-back for backpack
• whenever we drive towards walmart, which is right next to the car wash, she starts anxiously repeating "we don't have to go to the wash-car!"
• after hearing us whistle at Beansie, she tries whistle too.  It's so funny to hear the sound she makes...a high-pitched squeal thing.  She does it to Syd or Beansie sometimes.  At swim lessons, she wanted everyone to return to the shallow end where she was wading, so she yelled "hey you guys! come down here!" and then she did the whistle.  I busted out laughing.
• all four of us were playing upstairs in her room one night before bed, when Mills left the room and closed the door behind her.  A few moments later, we heard a knock on the door and she said in her sweet voice "Do you wanna build a snowman?".  We died.  This is from the movie Frozen.
• If I say I'm going to the store or to get food, she always asks "can I go to? can we go inside??".
• we hear "watch this" about a thousand times a day.  
• we also hear "and yesterday..." quite a bit each day.  She knows that yesterday means it happened in the past, so she uses that for everything that happened previous to this very second.  Even if it happened an hour ago, she'll still say "and yesterday, we did blah blah blah".
• we've heard a lot about how "and yesterday, those wassuses (wasps) got Milwie...those wassuses should say sorry to Milwie" (how she pronounces her name)
• she asks the question "why?", mostly in appropriate context.  we hear "why?" a lot.  very curious these days.
• recently, she picked up JKK's belt and put it on, then she said "look, I'm John!"
• when her fingernail polish wears off, she gets worried that her "fingertails" (that is not a typo) are gone.  "oh noooo, where'd my fingertails go?"
• she's very sensitive to new smells and isn't shy about loudly asking "what's that smell??".  she doesn't like for me to cook bacon or strong smelling foods.  yet, she cracks up if we are changing her and are complaining that it's stinky. ;)
• her new catchphrase "that's just how it works" - as in, Millie why'd you go pee pee in your panties?  And she replies "that's just how it works".  
• she also says "nah, I'm good" - as in, Millie are you ready for a nap?  And she replies "nah, I'm good".
• overheard Millie asking Syd "do you like my armpits??"
• she's still very good at lightening the mood with "can you be happy like this?" and sporting a huge fake smile

I'm so proud of our big girl.  She's silly and quirky, beautiful and beautifully tanned, and she gives the best compliments.  She's a great big sister, and she's always such a supportive cheerleader of Syd and her friends & classmates. She loves to clap and say "great job!".  She loves pickles and vegetables and treats of any kind.  She has a natural intuition for physical feats, and it looks like she'll be quite the athlete.  She's adventurous and energetic and so much fun.  She also has a wonderfully entertaining performer inside of her that is fantastic to witness.  We love you, Millie Bear, and we are so glad you're ours!