Hannah is 3!

What?!?!?!  She's 3, already???  I really don't like the adage that as you get older time goes by faster.  I can still remember three years ago just praying our baby girl would decide it was time to come into the world.  Cliche but it seems I've blinked and now here we are.

Our sweet girl is still full of life, even more independent, and usually as happy go lucky as you can be.  We've experienced a few periods of some not so happy Hannah within the last few months and I have to say these have been some trying times for all of us.  I believe the terrible three's have hit our house early again (hopefully they don't stick around too long).  

*Hannah's schedule pretty much revolves around school--hers and Luke's.  I get her up about 7:30 to get LJ to school.  On Monday and Wednesday she is down for her nap by noon.  She is usually awake by the time we have to get LJ from school about 2:45.  Tuesday and Thursday she goes to MDO and on Friday and during the weekend she's down for her nap by 1 and usually sleeps about 2 hours.  She goes to bed between 7 and 7:30.

*Stats: The last time we went to the doctor Hannah weighed 37 lbs.  Whoa!  (She's going to pass her brother soon as he's only 45 lbs.)  I'm not sure exactly how tall she is put it's at least 36 inches.  Her check-up is at the beginning of January so we'll find out then.  Hannah is wearing 4T clothes (much to my dismay some of the 3T clothes I had for her this fall never even fit).

*She recently had her first "real" haircut with clips and layering etc.--it's a very cute bob now.  There is still curl to it but it's lessened without the humidity.

*Hannah's eating habits haven't changed a whole bunch.  She still loves to eat but she's definitely more picky about what she's eating.  Some of her favorites include: peanut butter, strawberries, cheese, sugar snap peas, Caesar salad, spaghetti, yogurt and mac n cheese.

*Hannah seems to have a habit of asking for the parent that's not around/available at the moment.  She is constantly asking for Daddy when he's at work but then when he gets home she won't leave my side and sometimes makes fixing dinner a bit challenging.  She also wants only me at bedtime (much to Troy's disappointment) although we alternate nights with each kid.

*Hannah has never back-tracked with potty training.  We rarely have accidents now although she is still wearing a diaper at naptime and overnight.  We're still working on going poop in the potty but it's not something we are pushing too hard right now.

*As I mentioned above, we've had some trying times the last few months.  She seems to be going in phases of every few weeks being happy and energetic to being sort of whiny and clingy and not in a good mood.  It's hard going through this roller coaster but looking back I remember it with Luke too.  Hopefully it phases out quickly and she goes to back to happy, smiley Hannah all the time soon.

*Dolls, dolls, dolls!!!  Hannah loves her baby dolls.  For the last couple of months, "Baby Sister" has been the #1 doll.  Then at her birthday party last weekend she got a "Baby Stella" doll and literally the doll has not been out of her sight except when she is at school.  Both dolls seem to constantly be crying and needing attention.  They also like to take naps, sit in a highchair to eat and to look in a dressing mirror, and they love a fast stroller ride around the house.  Bedtime does not go well if one of them hasn't made it into her crib.

*Hannah still loves to be outside.  The weather hasn't cooperated much in this lately but we've taken advantage of the nice days we have had.  Riding bikes, playing ball and going to the park to swing or swinging here at home are all high on the list of fun.

*Legos are still a favorite as well.  She received a few sets for her birthday and has enjoyed helping mom and dad put them together.  She still just really likes to sort them and pick out the flat pieces to cover a base plate with but I think she's starting to understand that you can make really cool stuff with them.

*Rather recently she has started asking me to do art projects.  I love it!  She made some very fun gifts for Christmas and she is very good at holding a writing utensil properly.  I have some fun projects planned for both kids over the Christmas break.

*Hannah sings constantly--eating, riding in the car, playing, literally all the time.  They have different songs they sing each month at school so we've had turkey songs, Jingle Bells, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and others that I can't quite understand.  She also loves Old MacDonald, ABC song, Frere Jacque, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and she is always making up songs to go along with her activities.  We love the made up ones the best; they are SO funny!

*She is counting correctly up to 13 and sometimes gets up to 17.

*One thing that has definitely not changed is the love she has for Luke.  The last few months they have really been playing well together--making up games, building Legos, chasing each other in circles upstairs.  They have become true playmates as Hannah has gotten a bit older.  This is not to say there aren't times when they're not getting along but I've really noticed how much more they are interacting and love watching them together.

*Hannah has several phrases that we hear repeatedly:
--"Go to the baseball game next summer with Mom and Dad and Luke and Hannah."  After the baseball season ended we heard this one every day for over 2 months (no joke) and we still hear it on a fairly regular basis now.
--"Baby sick" or "baby's crying"
--"Mom, fix dinner?"  Almost every time I go in the kitchen in the late afternoon.
--"Mommy's turn to read stories?!?!"
--"No eyes in soap" while in the bathtub
--"HUH?" when she doesn't hear or understand what you've said
--"Go bye bye."
--"Somefing just smells."  I can hear her perfect little way of saying something whenever I think about her saying this one.  It's one of my favorites.

*Her favorite color is blue with pink and purple close behind.  When we change into underwear she insists that they are blue or have blue on them somewhere.  I have to stay up on the laundry with that one because no blue underwear is apparently cause for major meltdown.

*Hannah really is enjoying books with flaps or anything interactive.  We reread the same books over and over until Troy or I refuse and we start the cycle over again.

*Hannah has a very sweet habit of giving kisses on cheeks especially when snuggling or singing a good night song.  She'll grab your face with both hands and just plant a big one on your cheek.  I love it!!!  Such a sweetie!

*Current nicknames: HannahBean, Sugar Bean, Princess Sugar Bean, Beanie