Miss Independent

...she came up with this outfit, all by herself.
I still have a hard time putting things together, so I am impressed.

My 3-year-old owns a very special place in my heart.

She is tiny, but her personality is HUGE. She doesn't allow anyone to short-change her. She is tough. She is also my cuddle-bug. She desperately needs breaks throughout the day to suck her thumb and twirl her bibi ... she's like Linus that way.

She makes me laugh all the time. Her new trick is masking the truth, and wiggling out of trouble by smiling her smile and giggling as she says, "I was just kidding!"

Often she misplaces her sacred bibi... so you'll hear her walking around the house, calling sorrowfully... "bibi! bibi! bibi, where are you???" I remind her that the bibi can't respond...but she simply ignores me and continues the mournful cry.

She loves all things girly, and has been a bit obsessed with these colorful glass stones she receives from preschool. She always tells us to be careful because they are her "fragicle jewels".

Lately... she likes to wear only about 5 pieces of clothing. Mostly skirts/dresses. So if I decide that the clothes are dirty or that it makes more sense to wear pants... she digs in her heals and can have a very royal, very noisy fit about it. If I do get a pair of pants on her... it's miraculous.

She relishes silence and comfort, just like me. As soon as she gets home from preschool, she strips down, drops all her clothes on the floor and rushes upstairs to get on her pajamas. The two of us can enjoy a quiet car ride, while her big sister and daddy chatter the entire way.

She is a little mini-me sometimes. We are both temperamental when we don't get our way, or are simply starving for some sleep.

Sometimes she comes home from school and asks to have a nap...

I have always wanted to raise strong-willed, don't you dare mess with... girls. Heavenly Father gave me two. Oh...yeah-yeah!