Elizabeth...3.5

Elizabeth-Queen-Elsa-Annabella-Joy as she calls herself is a force to be reckoned with.
She is as sweet and sensitive as she is feisty and determined. Her polarity keeps up on our toes that is for sure!

She is bossy- I mean a leader! She has real skills in this department. She loves to have a job and try and accomplish new things. She is confident and quick to laugh. She has a sweet little voice and loves to sing and retell her favorite fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood and Three Little Bears.

Ella loves to be my helper. She calls us "the girls" and loves being my assistant in everything! She wants to much to do things properly and can get so frustrated at her...three year old skill level. She is so intent and eager and focused when she is trying to learn something and her enthusiasm will often end in trouble (ie spilling the box of baking soda in the mixing bowl while she tries to carefully measure over a tiny teaspoon....) tears follow but she is up quickly for her next challenge!

She loves to come with me to the grocery store or run errands. She gets her purse and scribbles a little list and loves when I let her pay. She hates to be put in a cart. It is THE WORST thing! But she also really struggles with not wondering off even when she is trying so hard not to...I can even hear her muttering "I have to stay with Mommy...I have to stay with Mommy..." to remind herself...and yet even with her best efforts she will disappear so a cart is a sad fact of life for her right now and a damper on her independence.

I took her out for breakfast, a concept she was unfamiliar with and totally thrilled about. She was asking me questions all the way there and was so happy to have a smoothie and pancakes that I don't think she even ate very much she was too excited. She was squeeling "Look Mommy! There is little salt and pepper! and JAMS!!! little JAMS MOMMY!" "FORKS...AND knives!!!" it was awesome.

I think she is such a darling. She is just the cutest. Everything about her is...cute! I am not the only one who thinks so. She often gets pointed at and we hear whispers in public along the line of "Oh my gosh look at that little girl she is SO cute!!" and "Ohh look at her curls!" she says "Mommy! Why are those people staring at me!" and I tell her "they think you are cute, they like your hair!" She glares at them and one time she spit at a woman in the jewelry store. In her defense the woman was petting her hair as though she was a curly headed puppy and not an actual human child with a sense of personal space and dignity. I feigned scolding her appalling rudeness but was secretly pleased with her tenacity.

She also has a temper. Her feelings are hurt easily and she doesn't, like most three year olds, appreciate limits. I told her recently that she was not allowed to do something and she was SO angry with me. She would obey...but not happily.

"YOU. Are the WORST MOMMY I EVER had IN MY LIFE. I will NEVER dance for you AGAIN!" And she ran to her room and slammed her door!

I didn't let her see me laugh. Of course she came out moments later and apologized and said....yes, in fact she would dance for me again. Whew!

Speaking of dance...that is her love. She counts down the day until her 30 minute ballet class. She loves it more than anything and tries her very hardest while she is there. She had a little recital recently where she got to show off her moves. Her teacher said she had the routine memorized by her second class and would benefit from more lessons. In the spring I will find more classes for her. I am thrilled that she has found something she loves so much. If that changes again next year of course that is fine too.



Elizabeth-Queen-Elsa-Annabella-Joy you are my favorite girl in the whole wide world. You are a treasure and a delight and I adore you

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