Happy Birthday Eliza

Eliza is 3!  I don't know who was more excited, Kaleb or Eliza. 

 We let her open a few presents before breakfast and thank goodness for Grandma DuRee :)  I didn't get her that many fun presents, so Eliza was excited for the awesome play-dough kit (thank you!).  We rolled and cut and molded play-dough all morning until it was time to go to the Jump Zone.

 Except I made a mistake and it didn't actually open until 1!  What to do?  Well, we had to get our turtle some things so we took her to her next favorite place: the pet store.  She asks to hold every creature in there, but unfortunately they have a no touching policy.  I wonder why?  Then we went to lunch and Eliza ate only fries, which I let her do just for her birthday.  It's a rare day when the poor girl gets fries.

 Finally she got to go to the Jumpy place.  We just discovered it over Christmas break and love it!  It's 2 minutes from our house and full of lots of things for the kids to get a work out on!  Oh, and fun too.

 She took a short nap when we got home and woke up just in time for dinner and Alisha and David coming over. David and Kaleb made the cake (thank you!) and then the Dyers joined us for some singing and candles.  She was a little shy when everyone sang, but then knew just what to do with those candles.

 One of her presents was swimming lessons with Kaleb.  They started yesterday and they had so much fun together.  Eliza was the smallest one in the class, but she did her kicks and floating just right.

Some things I love about this girl:

• She could wear her princess dresses day and night and be happy.  I'll help get her dressed in the morning and an hour later she'll come back down changed into one of her princess dresses! Agh!!  
• She loves raisins in her oatmeal
• She doesn't like pigtails, but asks for two ponytails everyday
• She knows she's beautiful and will often go check what she looks like in the mirror :-)
• She loves puzzles and books and can sit and do a puzzle a lot longer than Kaleb
• Right now her favorite books are: We're going on a Bear Hunt and The Big Hungry Bear
• She loves to play the piano with Braydan.  She'll flip to a primary song and he plays it while she sings
• When I ask her do something, she'll say, "Oh fine Mom."
• She still loves her blankie, but is realizing it's kind of embarrassing to suck her fingers except at bedtime
• She started asking why a lot, especially while we're reading. 
• She has a testimony.  She tells me all the time that, "Mom, Jesus will help you."  Or "I love Jesus and Heavenly Father."  
• She can scream really loud at Kaleb
• She loves to cook me food in her kitchen, set her little table, feed me and her babies, etc.
• She likes to go potty by herself and will lock the door, but will often call me to come help her in which I have to find a key to unlock the door and it's very annoying.
• She has never peed the bed at night (thank you Heavenly Father for this blessing!) I don't know how or why because she never even gets up in the night to go.
• I hate labeling and I'm against it, but Eliza really can be dramatic.  For instance, she was mad one night just because Braydan scooted her over to her chair.  She burst in to tears, ran to the bathroom and said, "I need to go look in the mirror to see if I'm sad!"  A few minutes later we heard her sob, "Yes, I'm sad!!!" 
• She still takes a 2 hour nap every day (bless you child!)
• She likes to dance and do zumba with me
• She's a good eater.  
• She always asks me "What does ___ start with?"  She likes to know what letter words start with.
• I guess one of the biggest changes in her from 2-3 is that she has definite opinions about what she will wear, eat, play, and do.  Whoever coined the phrase "terrible twos" did not have a 3 year old yet.  Just kidding, I love you my little angel girl!  I love your smile and cheesy laugh and strong personality.  I'm so blessed to have you in my life!