Brynn's 3rd birthday

Good thing we had something fun to look forward to after our trip!  Brynn turned 3 the Friday after we got home, on March 7, 2014.  My baby is 3!!!

I decided to keep it simple...and maybe that was more for me, but I think Brynn was happy with her birthday celebrations.  On the day of her birthday we just stayed home to get ready for it.  We made her cake in the morning and her and Stockton got to lick the spoons.

I decided to take it easy on the cake this year too.  I let her choose what color of cake she wanted (she said purple) then I just made a simple layer cake with some sprinkles on the top.  Stockton was playing at a friend's house that afternoon so Brynn and I went to the store and I let her pick a cake topper.  She picked Sofia and Amber.  Easy!

Molly got home from school and her and her friends gave Brynn a makeover.

Molly and Brynn, Maggie Stephenson, Jade Boynton

They also blew up a bunch of balloons.

Brynn is not a good eater so I struggled to think of something that she would actually eat for dinner.  All of my kids have been good pasta eaters so I decided to make a baked ziti, which is something I thought kids and grown-ups would like.  Well, Brynn didn't end up eating much of it, if any, but I didn't push the issue that night.  It was her birthday after all, and by that time Grandma and Grandpa and Brett were there and that was distracting.

We didn't spend much longer eating because it was time to get to the presents.  Brynn got a Cinderella Little People Princess Carriage and a butterfly nightlight that shines stars on her ceiling and plays lullabies.

Grandma and Grandpa Goodrich gave her some Minnie Mouse jammies and a little sandbox filled with living sand.

Living sand is super cool...it's sand with some other substance like silicone in it and it makes it a little stretchy.  I think it's actually supposed to act as a stress reliever.  And it's not messy at all, like sand typically is.  It doesn't stick on your hands or your clothes.  All of the kids love to play with it and they've each found their own favorite thing to do with it (for example, Stockton likes to make a garden out of it).

Once the presents were opened and examined it was time to sing to Brynn and break out the cake and ice cream.  She was happy with her purple Sofia-topped cake.

The next day was Saturday.  I had told Molly that we could go swimming, since we never had a chance to on our trip.  We went to the Provo Rec Center which is a brand new, really nice facility.  The swimming pool is fun but it was so crowded!  I don't think we'll do that again on a Saturday.  I think Brynn had fun, but she just shivers and shivers whenever we go swimming if it's not warm enough, so I think she was just cold.  We stayed for a couple of hours and then were done.

The kids really liked the climbing wall so we did that for a while before we actually left.

We met my mom and dad at Winger's in the Provo Mall for Justin's early birthday dinner/Brynn's continued birthday celebration.  While we were waiting for our food to come, Brynn opened more presents.  My mom made her a cute pillow with her name on it for her bed, and she also got a Cinderella board game and a Sofia movie.  My mom had also done some shopping in Disneyland and gifted Brynn a gorgeous, fancy Cinderella dress along with a crown, gloves and a purse.  This is what she looks like with the whole outfit on:

She also got a Cinderella nightgown, which pretty much never comes off, and some new clothes for spring.  Pretty spoiled rotten, if you ask me.

Brynn was so exhausted that she couldn't even make it through her birthday dinner.  She was falling asleep amidst all the noise of the busy restaurant and trying to eat her fries.  I tried to keep her awake but saw that it was a losing battle so just let her sleep. 

She slept through the rest of dinner, all through the drive home, and the rest of the night through the morning.  I guess celebrating her birthday tired her right out!!

Since Brynn is now 3, she can participate in the birthday interview.  Yay!

 Favorite color: pink and purple

Favorite movie: Bo on the Go and Strawberry Shortcake and Daniel Tiger (I would say her favorite movies are Frozen, Cinderella, and Tangled)

Favorite breakfast: meatballs (she likes oatmeal, cereal, and bran muffins and pancakes/waffles okay)

Favorite dinner: meatballs (she said this like "duh, mom, you already asked me that.") (I think she just says this because she sees how Molly and Stockton react when I make meatballs. I really don't know what I would say her favorite thing for dinner is.  She always eats the side but the main dish, not so much.)

Best friend: Rhys and Hazel and Calla and Rhys's dad and Rhys's mom

Favorite TV show: just Daniel Tiger, Strawberry Shortcake, and Bo on the Go!

Favorite scripture story: I don't know

Favorite book: Pete the Cat 

Favorite game: Candy Crush

Favorite story: Cinderella

Other kids think that I am: Minnie Mouse (she's probably not old enough to understand this question)

What do you like about your Mom? Everything

What do you like about your Dad? Everything

What do you like about Molly? Everything

What do you like about Stockton? Everything

What do you like about yourself? Everything

When I grow up I want to be: just a mom (she also said, "When I get big I'm going to be Elsa and freeze, and I'll say 'I'm Elsa and I can freeze Anna!'")

I like learning about: Primary

I want to go to: Costco

If I had one wish it would be to: another question I don't think she understands.  She keeps saying, "I wish about Elsa!" or something like that 

Favorite thing to do: play with Mommy and Dad, Molly and Stockton, and Evelyn

Favorite song: Minnie Mouse (?)(She usually chooses something like "Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam" or some other song they've sung in Nursery.)

We just love Brynn and love watching her little personality develop.  And boy does she have personality!  She is stubborn and sassy and we eat it all up!  Here are some things I'd like to remember about Brynn at this age:
-Brynn is at that age that when I ask her to do something (make her bed, brush her teeth, clean up her toys, etc.), I never really know if she's going to listen or not.  I find myself telling her no for things throughout the day because she didn't do what I had previously asked her.  They say the terrible twos is really the terrible threes, and I believe it!
-Brynn still loves me to carry her.  She would be happy if I carried her for a whole day.  She still has many tantrums on the floor if I'm not carrying her.  She will cry if I leave the room as well.
-Brynn is on an optional nap schedule.  I lay her down everyday at 2 and sometimes she falls asleep and sometimes she just has a bit of a quiet time and then she comes down and plays.  I am fine with either.
-Brynn prefers to wear princess dresses all day.  That or her Cinderella or Minnie Mouse nightgown.
-Eating is up and down with Brynn.  I never really know when she's going to be a good eater and when she's not.  She usually eats breakfast decent.  Lunch is pretty good too, but that's because I read books to her.  Dinner is up in the air...some days she surprises us and eats a bunch and other days she touches nothing.  I don't think it's a picky issue, I really think that by evening her small tummy just doesn't need more food.
-An update on her size is always needed.  At her 3 year well-check she weighed 21.8 lbs (.04%) and was 33 inches tall (1.1%).  There is still no concern because she is following her curve and she is proportionate.  The doctor did say that by next year he would like to see her height go up a little on the curve and if it didn't, we would need to do some further testing to see if her smallness was going to be a problem long term.
-We are in the middle of potty training.  She has been much more stubborn than my other two!  Progress has been made, although we still have a ways to go.  She would prefer diapers but I don't let her at home anymore.  But she really just doesn't seem to care.  I'm trying not to be uptight about it but I am ready to be done with it!
-Also needing mentioned is bedtime.  Right now, this is how bedtime goes: jammies, warm milk, brush teeth.  Then prayers and then her and Stockton get their books.  Usually Stockton first, and you better believe than Brynn climbs right up to his bunk to listen.  She also gets her book on her own bed.  Then I let them look at books while I get Molly tucked in and read to her.  I tell Brynn and Stockton if they stay in their beds while I read to Molly that I will come back and scratch their backs before I turn off the lamps.  Stockton is great at listening...Brynn not so much.  She usually always sneaks in to Molly's room to listen to her book as well.  I have really tried to train her to stay in bed but the results were not great and included me cleaning up crying-induced throw-up and a screaming baby girl.  She is usually pretty good to stay in her bed after Molly's book, especially if she didn't take a nap.  She also likes me to warm up the rice bag for her...it must be a comfort thing or something.
-She will still come into our room in the middle of the night for some extra snuggles.  Justin is not a fan but I don't mind.  I just let her sleep for a bit and then carry her back.  It seems easier to me than to try to take her back while she's awake...she'll just cry and wake up everybody else.  But maybe that's just me being lazy.
-She will sit still to have her hair combed if she can watch Cinderella clips on Youtube or Sofia clips on disneyjr.
-She will do anything to get a laugh...she makes funny faces, funny noises, and just does silly things throughout the day.  She'll make up nonsensical words to familiar songs too.
-She insists on walking through the "tunnels" at the library every time we go.  Really, they are just wooden arches for vines to grow on.
-Brynn is too short for a bike, but she is a pro at her tricycle.  She cruises on it!  She is also pretty good on a Razor scooter.
-Brynn likes to say the prayer.  In fact, she gets upset if anyone else gets called on other than her.
-A lot of times Brynn will rely on Molly for comfort or extra love (when I am not holding her).  They have a special bond.
-She loves puzzles and is really quite good at them.
-She loves being fancy and loves getting her fingernails painted.

Three year olds come with their share of challenges as they try to assert their independence more and more!  I am learning everyday about patience and love and what battles really matter and which ones don't.  Brynn is precious to our family, we all love her to pieces and are grateful for her presence in our home.