Look whose 3!

I just can't quite wrap my head around the way time passes.  Jessica is 3!  I just asked her what her favorite things are.  She said "Pigs, because they're my favorite color, coloring, eating, and getting snacks out."  I think she's hungry. 

If I were to list her 3 favorite things at 3 I would say coloring, Dora, & playing outside, especially at play park.  That means any playground.  She also loves books and her ABC's.  That girl is a wipper-snapper.  She loves her ABC puzzle, her ABC books, and her ABC flashcards.  She's just a little sponge.  I've enjoyed watching her play lately.  She's developing a great imagination.  Her pretend friends usually include Dora and her cousin Ashlyn.  It's fun to watch her big sisters finally include her in their playing. 

She's finally taking an interest in potty training.  She's trying hard, most of the time.  I considering posting some funny potty training photos but thought better of it. 

Dandelions

Every spring I heft a big old bag of lawn fertilizer/week killer into my shopping cart at the local Walmart.  Then I dutifully walk every inch of my large yard spreading the stuff around.  Within days my dandelions looks healthier than ever.  This year I gave up and the professionals were called in.  But before they came we got all the mileage we could out of all those pretty flowers.  I'm sure my neighbors are relieved to see them finally gone. 

I love living near enough to cousins to have them over for special events and such.  There photos were actually taken the weekend before Jessi's 3rd birthday, when we celebrated with family.

Oh, that I could be as photogenic and as beautiful as my little sister there at the bottom.  She is my sister in every meaning of the word.  I just love her. 

Stone Soup Play

I simply adore Kate's first grade teacher, Mrs. Ricks.  She genuinely loves each student; not as an academic brain to fill, but as a special person to teach and train.  She loves each child in their entirety and has made my girls feel so capable and loved. 

She puts her whole soul into a performance of Stone Soup to end each school year.  Kate was so fun to watch.  My favorite part of the play was watching her take the hand of a special needs girl in her class and lead her off stage.  I told Kate I thought that was really special and it showed that Mrs. Ricks could trust her to be kind to others. 

I sometimes forget how young Kate is.  She is mature beyond her years.  So bright, responsible, & capable.  She can do anything she sets her mind too.  The perfect word to describe my Kate would be "driven".