my big girl!

She did it!  She finished her chart about a month ago.  So we owe her a trip to Chuck E. Cheese's.  Hopefully will get to take her in April.  I'm so proud of my big girl!

another Happy Heart Day

fun times

 to remember-

our little sugar fairy                                                               is that a sleeve?

snuggle time!  

 

a super fun trip to Georgia with Mommy: we got to visit with Mom's dear old friend, Kimmy and her adorable girls, Audrey and Chloe!  Audrey was very sad to see us go! I promised that we would stay longer next time!

you can't beat watching cartoons in a living room tent! little pocahontas ;)

chillin' in kids church at the new place!

so proud!

today was a celebration day!

(this is her face, post fudge-dipped vanilla ice cream cone!)

Jules has been pull-up free for a while now. However, because of some "going" issues she has had trouble getting #2 in the right spot. She waits as long as possible, and has generally just hated to do the deed. Anywho, we finally decided that a positive rewards system was required to get her over the hump. As it hasn't been a development issue or a practice issue. Jules is a huge candy fan. So we got her special heart-shaped suckers. I printed out a Dora chart that says "I did it!" and taped it to the box. So, every time she's done a #2 in the potty, she's gotten a sticker on her chart, and a sucker. She's improved by leaps and bounds. She was promised something special at the end of her first row. The treat was icecream. When we pulled through the Dairy Queen drive-through she said, "icecream, icecream, yay, yay, yay!" as she clapped. super cute. We've told her how proud we are of her. Great job Jules!

pretty girl!

(in her Christmas outfit worn in the New Year)

Christmas treats!

Julianne's Three!!!

Can you believe it?  It seems like now-a-days that's all we say.  How fast the time goes.  We blink and the year's gone.  I suppose it's ok because the time is spent living life, hopefully enjoying as much as we can on this merry-go-round!  Well, Julianne is three!

What's she like?  She's crazy, and amazing, and frustrating, and like a bowl full of sunshine.  She's definitely an introvert.  She can make the most serious faces.  Her scowl could freeze ice!  But when she's comfortable, or forgets who's around, she explodes with life.  She has this classic little girl giggle that makes the world perfect.  She's putty in her daddy's hands when he's making her laugh or smile or tickling her.  Her blue eyes are a gorgeous crystal blue and they still often get her out of trouble.  She's sensitive and tender-hearted.  She also knows how to wrap people around her little finger to get what she wants.

During the past six months we've especially been attached at the hip.  She prefers to be with me most of the time.  She is her most independent when she's on the computer.  Yes, long before she turned three she learned how to double-click, open firefox, and explore her bookmarks, choose games, and learn how to play them and new ones.  As you can see, I've given her plenty of "independent" play time.  Her vocabulary and speech skills have exploded exponentially.  She loves to pretend.  She is a classic girly girl.  She loves her little polly pocket doll houses, and plays with a boxful of pretend figures.  She loves her dolls, and everything becomes a baby - "it's okay baby, I've gotcha."  She especially loves a basket full of dolls I made especially for her - which delights my soul.  And if you have a basket, watch out!  She will quickly confiscate it - to carry her stuff or to climb into.

She still adores Luke and wants to do anything he can do.  That's when the girly girl says funny things like, "I'm gonna fight you!"  or "I'm going to destroy you!" or "It's a bomb! aaaaaah!"  Or runs around the house, chasing him with a toy fireman's ax.  Yeah, she can play army with Luke without missing a beat!

She's begun singing and humming her own little songs and is adorable singing along with "Go, Diego, Go!"  Her favorite show in Pingu - from which she has developed a love of penguins.  She also loves Dora, Diego, and Blue's Clue's.  She's very interested in the ABC's and numbers.  She has been repeating them out of order this past year, especially when Luke is doing his homework.  She wants to participate too!

She's not a great eater.  She is still milk-obsessed.  And it takes concentrated effort to sway her from milk to something other - food, juice, water...  She likes cheese, mac 'n cheese and plain crackers - for real!  She loves strawberries and grapes and will sometimes do bananas.  She could live on sweets!  We constantly have to remind her that treats are not meals.

Her favorite colors fluctuate from pink to red.  She loves her class at church and looks forward to it every week.  She loves her friends (all boys right now!), especially Steven.  Some of her favorite things to collect are rocks and leaves.  We constantly have a handful in her carseat cupholder, or a dry leaf crinkling in my purse.  :)  She's just a joy and lights up our lives every day!  We sure do love you Julianne!