The Age of Independence!

Leah turned three about a week ago(Nov. 6).

 

She was thrilled with her birthday.  When she woke up in the morning I let her open her presents from her Grandma Pack.  She is opening Doc McStuffins here and is peeking into the package to see her. 

 

After Sari and Kate got home from school, she opened three presents all about an hour apart.  She'd open one and the girls would play for an hour, then she'd open another one, etc.  She was thrilled with the play dough.  In fact, yesterday she entertained herself for nearly 3 hours playing with it alone.  I was in the room with her most of the time, but I was busy doing other things.  It is well worth the mess if it entertains for that long!

That night we had a birthday party for her.  Her cousins and Aunts and Uncles came.  We had cupcakes and she received more gifts.  She was pretty funny opening them.  She was really LOUD and excited.  When we sang 'happy birthday' to her before she blew her candles out she was laughing and holding her hands out telling us to stop.

 

 

 

Leah is definitely our loudest child.  In the morning when we are getting Sari and Kate ready for school, it is a challenge to keep Leah from waking up Lucy.  As my post title describes, Leah is definitely trying to declare her independence.  I sure wish sometime they could still just act like their sweet little two year old self.  She wants to do everything herself and if she isn't perfectly rested when you accidentally do something she wanted to do, it is a cry fest.  Such a fun stage!

 

Aside from the extra patience we have to muster once in a while, Leah is still very sweet.  Lucy loves her and will usually sit on her lap and freely give hugs.  I think Lucy prefers Leah over Sari or Kate at this point.  At dinner lately, Leah usually won't eat her main course, but will have seconds and thirds of any vegetables or fruits.  She did like the chicken tortilla soup I made on her birthday though, so that was lucky. 

 

Leah's favorite thing to do is to play with playdough. She has a couple of little friends her age that she gets to have play dates with that she really likes and she loves playing with her cousin, Brooklyn.  She also likes to watch Doc McStuffins, Little Einsteins, and The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  When I try to put a movie on for her, it's usually hard to find one that she doesn't say is "scary."  She likes to think she's one of the big girls and loves when they include her in their play, especially when they're outside.  Leah also really loves balls and balloons.  She likes balls more than the other girls have or do.  She got a big floor puzzle for her birthday and she can play with that for quite a while too.

 

We love our little Leah!