Leila's 3rd Birthday

September 14, 2012 marked Leila's 3rd birthday.  We were able to have her party on her birthday.  She invited a few friends over (Brooklyn, Hadlee, Cheyanne, Ethan - then a few of Kuso's friends brought their kids too.)  Above is Leila, Brooklyn, and Hadlee (don't you LOVE Hadlee's dress?  Her mom could not get her to take it off to come to the party, so she wore it.  Love it.)

The party was Minnie Mouse theme. 
Leila knows and understands to blow out the candles.

Now that this post is over 3 months late, I'll tell you a little about Leila as a 3 year old.

• She has gotten much more emotional - "you mad at me" as she pouts or "you gonna make me cry"
• She is SUPER excited to be having a baby brother on the way
• She is a great mother to her babies at grandma's house.  Puts them to sleep, feeds them, wraps them in blankets, and makes sure to tell everyone to be very quiet while they are sleeping - let's just hope she keeps acting that way when the REAL baby is sleeping!
• She tells me that I am her "best friend" quite often.
• Her dad carries her with his arm straight down and his hand between her legs, holding on to her butt.  It's hilarious, but that is how his dad used to carry him and his little brother through town when they were little.  So he started doing that to her.  Now she ASKS to be carried like that all the time. 
• She still has a sippy cup most nights, but not usually during the day. 
• She is VERY aware of what is around her.  Doesn't miss a thing.
• She has started copying the last word or phrase you say and turns it in to a question.  One night my mom and dad were play fighting in the kitchen and my mom said "You are such a jackass."  Leila says "Jackass?"  It was WAY funny, but surprisingly enough all the adults were able to stifle their laughter so we could teach her that wasn't funny. 
• She uses lines from movies and phrases from TV shows in her regular conversations.  "Whew, that was a close one" I'm pretty sure came from Octonauts.
• She LOVES Disney Channel.
• She has learned to navigate the mouse on the computer - so if "Papa" turns on a video for her to watch on You Tube, she can start her own new videos now.
• She is getting MUCH more girly.  Her favorite color is usually pink.
• She is not a very good eater, unless she is hungry, then she can put it away.  But she will "pick" at her food for 2 or 3 days, but then on the "hungry" day, she cleans the place up!  She also only eats what she wants to eat.  It is rare that I can get her taste something she doesn't already know she likes.
• She has "her kids" go with us everywhere.  "Her kids" are real people, they just aren't really with us.  It is usually her cousin Kiley.  Kiley is always eating with us, sitting next to her in the car, has to get in the shopping cart at the store, playing with her, dancing with her, and just being there, always.  Sometimes her other friends are included, but Kiley is always a constant. 
• She had her first dentist visit, well second but the first one was a bust so they just sent us home.  This time around, she was a ROCK STAR!  She held her mouth wide open the entire time and never had to be told what needed to be done.  She made me a proud mama that day!
• She is still VERY active and bounces all over the house.  It is usually hilarious, except when this mom is tired at the end of the day and Leila still wants to bounce around.  ESPECIALLY after her bath.  The girl loves to be naked and thinks it's funny to shake her booty and say "nananana."  It is pretty funny though.  I just have to remind myself that she isn't being bad and I don't need to get mad at her for being silly when it's not hurting anything.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea.  Leila is FULL of life and enjoys every second of it.  She is very caring and very stubborn.  She has given me the greatest gift ever - the gift of being a mother and knowing a mother's love. 

I have the most beautiful daughter and the Spirit she carries and exemplifies mirrors that same beauty.