big sister Junie

we tried to spend lots of time with you before baby brother came! letting you be the baby as long as possible! you got over 3 years though, which is way more than Jo got ;)

and after he came, trying to sneak in 1:1 time where possible- you would eat it up! 

I was napping in my room a lot and Jo was in her room, so you enjoyed napping in Ita and Abuelo's room- cutest wedgie ever! 

we put you in a ballet class to help keep you busy during the transition time- you loved it! Disney ballet and you were so cute. lots of learning about focusing and obeying the teacher and staying in line though ;) daddy took you the first 2 weeks because baby was only 2 weeks old when you started. then he had to go back to work booo and I started taking you, but it was so fun to get to watch you <3

watching Jo at her gymnastics class. 

I got you a bunch of "prizes" and you could earn them with 5 tallies for good behavior- fairies for a fairy garden were a fun one! new crayons, notebook, some cute clothes, bubbles, etc. 

mother's day snuggles with my sleepy girl

CUTEST

these pics are all out of order, but oh well at least I am taking the time to write to you, right? ;) hot cocoa date just you and me while Anna was off at the beach for gramma school. just a few days before brother joined our fam! 

I got you shaving cream to keep you busy in the bath too ;) all the things to keep you busy ha

and you got to join in on gramma school Friday mornings with Jo! you were so so happy to be included and gramma says you are a super focused student! I was a little sad to be missing mom's group, but I had to just take those mornings just me and EZ where I could get them ;)

meeting your brother! 

k you are OBSESSED with Ezekiel! you always want to hold him and snuggle him and touch him and kiss him. you call him "my boy" and "zik" even though you can say his name so cute. I can't trust you alone with him though- every time I've left you with him for a second, he ends up crying :( soon enough you will be my trustworthy little helper <3 

for sure some extra bonding with daddy while mom was too pregnant to snuggle and taking extra naps and busy with baby. I am so glad you get to be close with your papa too <3 <3 he is the best

my crazy 3 year old! full of life

always wanting to be on mama's lap- even when there is no room with baby brother! 

we used an empty foaming hand soap container and you spent actual hours playing- so fun! 

we went to Ikea- you were pretty tired and just climbed right into a bed to go to sleep- shoes off and all hahaha. 

you play hard and you sleep hard, my sweet baby girl! 

you are really artistic! you can already hold a pen the right way and are really great at staying in the lines- like better than your big sis ;) can't wait to see you keep learning! 

typical toddler- love to be naked

you wouldn't smile nicely, but you loooove to help me bake. it is so hard to let you help because holy mess..but I hope it shapes you into a wonderful baker <3

Gramma Sandee took you out for your bday and you got a donut and Red Robin and chose these cute clothes for your dolly. so sweet! it was really your first time getting a 1:1 date with gramma- Jo gets gramma school all the time and you hardly get 1:1 time, so I was so happy for you! you ate it up! 

my BRAVE girl! you wanted your ears pierced so badly to be like primas and you talked and talked about it, so we did it- tia jess paid for it for your bday. unfortunately, they only had one worker at Claire's, so they had to do 2 separate piercings. you didn't cry at all for the first one. the second one barely. and then Ita bought you this toy and you were all better! we all got lunch and it was a fun day! you look SO precious <3 <3

daddy smashed your face in the cake hahah. 

getting to be quite the artist! 

bed head ;)

you LOVE tights. like obsessed. we have to remind you to wear undies underneath and that you can't just wear tights with tshirts. your tiny buttcrack always hanging out. the best. 

you, my girl, are a burst of sunshine in our world. you are fierce and passionate and loud and messy and you never stop moving until you're sleepy. you fight and you scream and you hit and you do all the "terrible 3's" things. and it was like a switch flipped and you went from this super easy, content,  independent toddler to this needy, crazy, wild, messy 3 year old... hahaha. I am looking forward to 4! but also, I think I will have my entire "my quotable kid" book filled up before the year is up because you are so HILARIOUS! I am so in love with you my girl and so thankful I got 3 whole years of you as the baby before brother came to join us. I love our close relationship and your desire for me and for mommy cuddles! what a blessing to be your mama <3 <3