My Big Girl {for Hannah Renee - Almost 3}

My sweet Hannah will be THREE years old in just a few short months, and it is bittersweet for sure.  Three seems so very big and grown up. She is becoming the sweetest little girl. So kind, and gentle and polite. She loves to get all dressed up and has recently been requesting a specific bow for her outfit each day. She tells Mama that I look "fancy!" when I get dressed for church (or actually get out of my mom clothes for a date). She loves to put on lip-gloss and carries around her Sofia the First amulet, singing "Let It Go" into a microphone made out of legos. Although she knows every word of the movie Frozen, she doesn't discriminate when Disney is concerned... we watch just as much Cars, Planes, Lion King, and Aladdin as we do princess movies.

She loves ballet, and asks her Daddy before leaving for class each week; "Look Daddy!" as she twirls for him, showing off her tutu and tights. He always tells her how pretty she looks and she beams. She has a deep love for her family and is constantly asking when Papa, Gramma and Auntie are coming over, or whether we're meeting her Pops and Lola for lunch that day. She prays for them all each night before bed. She asks Mama to sing the Cinderella song before going to sleep each night and to leave the door "just a lil' bit open." She sleeps with a huge array of stuffed friends, taking turns cuddling with them each night.

She has a fierce love for her Sissy, and often asks to go home to her, after an outing with just Mama. She prefers for us all to be together, all the time. She gives Liv hugs and kisses all day long, yet also tells her "no no!" if she's getting into something she shouldn't have. She praises her and claps for her each time Liv learns a new skill squealing; "Good Job Sissy! You're doing it!" Hannah would love to be outside all day long. We color with sidewalk chalk, blow bubbles, and take walks in our double stroller to observe all the birds and trees and flowers. She's scared of dogs, and most other animals, but likes to look at them from afar.

Her favorite foods are fruit, yogurt, "appy" (applesauce pouches,) potatoes, sausage, PB&J, pizza, and ice-cream. She also likes to share gummy-bears with her Daddy and munch on "chee-ros" (cheerios) throughout the day. When we ask where she would like to go eat, she usually replies Chick-fil-a (even though she doesn't eat chicken) or Freddy's (because who doesn't love french fries & ice-cream?)

Hannah loves to paint and color and put stickers everywhere! She can almost write her whole name unassisted, and loves to practice. She can count to 30, recognize and recite all her ABC's, and loves to play educational games on her Leapster, and Mama's iPhone. She's starting part-time preschool in the fall at a Christian Academy and she's so excited! She plays "going to school" all the time, and asks "where is my new school? Can I go there?"

She's been potty trained for about a month now, and we decided it was time to be done with her binky, which she kept in her bed for nap and bedtime. We woke up on Saturday morning, and after our special family breakfast (cinnamon rolls), we decided to have a special big-girl date, just her and Mama. She kissed her binky good-bye and put it in her memory box in the closet for safe keeping. We headed to the Plaza and ate a side-walk cafe that was definitely more for adults than children. She did so well, and sat there like a lady eating her lunch. Then we stopped in at Barnes and Noble to pick out a new book. Hannah LOVES to read and kept saying "there's just so many!" when looking around at all her choices. She decided on "Olivia." We went into Gap and tried on so many clothes... she kept saying "look at these! Oh, look at these!" She put on a straw hat and said "Yee Haw! I'm a cowgirl!" When it was time to go, she asked for "just ONE more store!" We stopped into Starbucks for coffee (milk for her) and a pink cake-pop, and just chatted...me and my girl. It was the most PERFECT day, one that I will always remember.