An update on my 3.75 yr. old

I always see monthly updates on other people's blogs. I'm always so impressed at how they dont seem to skip a month. Meanwhile, in the Johnson household, I have maybe done it once on my blog? Soooooo, I thought I should brag on my big girl... give her a little bit of attention via the blog before the new one starts to take over it with all the things she will be doing.

So, lets see.... the 3 footer is currently 3.75ish years old. She'll be 4 in April. You can do the math and figure out I'm pretty good at estimating. She is either busy spending her days with me, or busy playing at her "school" on tuesdays and thursdays. She is quite the social butterfly with people she knows. Sometimes a bit slow to open up to strangers, but nevertheless, she usually will make conversation with anyone or anything that gives her attention, eye contact for that matter.

While I've been pregnant, I have found her attitude a bit much to deal with. I realized yesterday, after the umpteenth temper tantrum resulting in her throwing herself on the floor yet again, that I had no idea what I was doing. The 3 footer was never one to throw herself on the flood. Before, (you know, the "terrible twos"...) it was my stern look that could scare her enough to calm down. Now, I get the same look right back at me, screaming, throwing herself on the floor. I think they should change it to the terrible threes... I digress.

So, after some talking with her teacher at her "school" I tried to tackle things a bit differently today. Let me tell you, what a difference adjusting yourself makes when trying to adjust your child. We tried some different things today, and the day went really well. The biggest thing was sitting down and having a decent talk with her. 3 footer.... if you ever read this one day, I want you to know you are so freaking smart for your age. I'm not saying that because I'm your mother. I'm saying it because your so freaking intelligent, it blows me away.

We have a talk with her last night, tell her we are going to start letting her make more decisions on her own and start doing more things on her own (little things, like getting her own drink... things I would have done for her if she was say 2 years old, that I probably dont need to be doing for her when she is almost 4 years old). Anyways, i could go on and on. The point is, she had a great day today, the first time in a long while, and I'm hoping things last.

So, what are some things she likes.... in terms of friends, everyone. She will give a long list of friends whom she loves. Those in school with her, those that go to the same school/class on different days, those she grew up with, those she sees typically only at mutual friends birthday parties... everyone is her friend. I did say she was a bit of a social butterfly.

In a group, she tends to try and take charge, but easily gets her feelings hurt if she is disregarded. I love hearing her say "Come on guys, lets go on the slide now" and she motions her hand towards her for them to follow her. She loves to swing at the park! I'd say sliding and make believing come in close second. At home, she loves playing with her dolls, reading her books, and just finding random stuff and pretending. Today she spent alot of the day making pizza, complete with rolling pin, out of a big handful of mardi gras beaded necklaces. I have no idea, but I think its great that the imagination is there.

She is obsessed about anything and everything related to Disney Princesses. She loves to play Hungry Hippos, candy land casle, and other board games for her age. She is REALLY good at memory. She also loves to play with her pretend food, her kitchen, and loves to "shop" for her food with her grocery cart. She is a big fan of coloring, mainly writing her name. The girl is non stop all day, she loves to play.

On the food front... OMG, the kid is eating! I mean, she always ate. She loves breakfast foods, especially daddy's scrambled eggs and pancakes. She eats lunch really well too. It was dinner that was always a problem. I'd say around October or November 08, I put my foot down. I was tired of her either not eating, or us having a yelling match, or her gagging. Since then, I would say she has eaten dinner almost everynight. For 2009, she is 100% for eating. In fact, tonight she tried potatoes that were in some beef stew my mom made. She like the bite without skin, almost threw up the piece with skin. That is a huge improvement. She ate the stewed carrots, even though she kept saying the whole time "I really like raw carrots better mama". I was so proud of her for eating it. I hope she keeps this us. I cant deal with pickyness, and I refuse to be a short order cook.

3 footer... your quite the funny girl. You are always saying something that makes me either laugh or literally tilt my head to the side and think "wow, where did you pick that up from?" (not in a bad way). She is real quick to tell me when words are "not good to day" (crap, stupid, idiot, etc.... usually when I'm driving... hmmmmmm... stupid, er... poor college student drivers!). She is great with her manners for the most part, says excuse me when she burps or toots, asks to get up from the table now, says please and thank you for the most part. Sometimes she has no filter between her brain and her mouth, like telling the lady at breakfast the other day when Nana was visiting that their eggs "arent as good as daddy's eggs, I didn't really like them". i'd say for 3.75 y.o. though, that is ok.

We are currently working on showing respect for mama and daddy, no whining, and using our listening ears. Also on the responsiblity chart, eating dinner, sharing, putting toys away, and clearing the table. We told her last night that she was going to learn what the word consequenses means, and she definitely tested it today. However, like I said, she did really REALLY well for day one.

I dont know what else people say in these updates. 3 footer, I know we have our differences, but you are growing up into a wonderful, nurturing lady. Your going to make a wonderful mama one day. I can tell by how sweetly you love on other peoples babies, and our own unborn one in my belly. You're so maternal. You love lovings (our thing, basically snuggles and cuddles... you love those too!), nosies, hugs and kisses. You really are something else, and I love you sweet girl.