{alligator: JellyCat // tee: Cat & Jack // leggings: Cat & Jack // camera: Amazon // lovie: Angel Dear}
{One of the (many) outtakes!}
The BIGGEST thing that happened with Daphne was that we finally got thru the sleep regression. You guys, it was so, so tough. And officially it was 100 days. 100! I know it would have been even harder if she hadn’t ever slept thru the night (or had a terrible bedtime) but it is still so, so hard to revert back once sleeping goes well. And, the best thing is, we didn’t create any bad sleep habits! (We never let Daphne sleep in bed with us, or did we sleep in bed with her, or let her come upstairs and hang out after bedtime. So YAY parents!)
Honestly, I’m not sure what exactly was the magic trick to get Daphne to sleep. It just started happening as we just pressed on with a consistent bedtime routine. Slowly, she was able to lay in bed for longer without needing to see one of us or yelling for one of us or coming upstairs. And then one night, she just laid quietly in bed and fell asleep. And then she did it again. And again. It felt like a miracle! It isn’t perfect every night, but generally speaking, Daphne can go to sleep without much fuss, and Aaron and I actually have our evenings back.
And the other sleep-related thing that happened since Daph’s last update was that she moved into Eloise’s room to the bottom bunk bed. Eloise got a bunk bed for her birthday this past summer and we knew the girls would eventually share it, but we just didn’t know when. In the midst of Daph’s sleep regression, we weren’t in a huge hurry to change something so big in regards to sleep, but Daphne decided she wanted to sleep with Eloise in the bottom bunk bed, so we tried it. What could go wrong, right? And actually, the transition went really well. The girls have done really well sleeping together and generally it’s a great thing for our family. Daphne still lacks total self control though and will sometimes be naughty and hang from the bunk bed or go up the ladder (without permission, which is our family rule) but overall, it’s been so good. Mornings are a little bit tricky since Eloise is up earlier for school than Daphne, but I have enjoyed some sleepy snuggles with Daphne in the morning while Eloise and Aaron head upstairs to get ready for school.
Daphne has now had her scooter for a year and she LOVES it! She isn’t quite as “dare devil” as she was last year, but can definitely keep up with Eloise. She also recently taught herself how to use the foot brake on the back (rather than just sticking her foot out onto the sidewalk) and she is just SO proud of herself. The braking thing has actually been really nice for her to learn since when we go around the block for a scooter ride, there is at least one sizeable hill to go down.
Along with that, Daph has also done well on her balance bike. She is finally tall enough for it now (whereas at the end of the summer, her legs were barely long enough) and she’s starting to get the hang of it. She has pretty good balance, from riding a scooter, but maneuvering a bike is just a different skill. I have no doubt she will be flying around on her bike by this summer! And we also signed her up for a week of bike camp this summer, not to learn how to pedal, but just to learn more skills on her balance bike. Even though I think she could ride a pedal bike, we are going to wait until next year (or maybe her fourth birthday).
And in a few short weeks, Daphne will officially be starting swim lessons, and she is SO excited! It is the same place and teacher that Eloise has been learning from for the past year. The facility is great, and we are happy to get Daphne in the water too. I suspect she will pick up swimming a little faster than Eloise did, so I am hoping she will be (mostly) swimming by this summer!
Daphne and Eloise are at such a fun age, and even though they fight like crazy, they play SO well together. They are each other’s best friends and it is the greatest thing to see as a parent. Because they are pretty close in age, their interests still overlap quite a bit, including TV shows (currently Tumbleleaf on Amazon Prime is the favorite for both!), movies, and toys (playing family, baby dolls, building with blocks or Legos, and any type of art are current favorites). They have really opposite personalities (Daphne is really outgoing and Eloise is much more reserved) but it just works so well and they have a great sister dynamic.
Daphne is the sweetest kid and always says things like “I love you, Mama, you are my favorite friend!” She’s funny and loud and will tell you what she wants, whether you asked her or not. And she’s definitely not afraid to stand up for herself; she’s so tough. Daph is also just so personable. She doesn’t really like crowds or being in the spotlight (she wasn’t super into being sung to at her birthday party) but one-on-one she is SO friendly. With everyone. She says “hello” and waves to almost every person or kid she passes, including any and all animals she sees. She seems like such a BIG kid now, talking non-stop, but also seems like such a baby. I can’t believe it’s been three years since she was born!
And here’s the latest Things Daphne Says:
“Mama, what do you want for Christmas? A bear, a stuffie, or a truck?”
Puts her shirt up over her face. “Where’s me? Where’s me? Where’s me?” Pulls her shirt down. “Here is me!”
Takes the arms out of her shirt so it’s hanging around her neck and runs around. “I’m a super hero in my fam-a-lee (family)!”
Daph and I were sitting in the glider while the Okay to Wake clock was still yellow (meaning it’s quiet time in bed still). Daph says “Mama, Jojo (the name of her clock) is yellow, yellow, yellow. Jojo? Why are you being so grumpy to me?” (When the clock turns green, it means she can get up out of bed, and Daph was ready to get up!)
Calls The Nutcracker the Graham Cracker.
Says “Nee-haw!” rather than yee-haw!
Says “Have a good day!” at bedtime (instead of goodnight).
When she’s looking for someone in the house, she will yell “Where you are?”
“These are ME plants!” Daph says, pointing to the Daphne bushes in the front of our house. Then she points to the hellebores plants right next to them and says “Are those Eloise plants?”
If she doesn’t like what you are saying to her, she’ll say “You’re a mean one, Mister!” (Which is a line from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, one of her favorite movies of all time.)
“Now that’s a great cup of coffee!” (Also from The Grinch movie.)
When she is telling a story, she’ll say “Are you listening to me?”
What is your name? Daphne Lower.
How old are you? Three and a half! (I think she is really used to saying “two and a half” because she almost immediately giggled and said “Three!”)
What is your favorite thing to do? I like getting an art project, and Mimi, and playing with Mimi.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Hmm. Drink beer! Hmm. I want to make phones.
What is your favorite food? Eggs with seasoning.
Who do you like to spend your time with? Mimi.
What do you do really well? Art projects.
What makes you laugh? Um, hmm, the stroller.
What is the best time of day? Breakfast!
What are you afraid of? Monsters.
Who is your best friend? Mae. (She’s our neighbor friend.)
What do you like to do with your family? Art projects.
What do you love to learn about? Art class.
Where do you like to go? I like to go to the playground.
What is your favorite book? Follow My Heart.
If you had one wish, what would it be? An art project. (To do it.)
weight} 33-ish pounds, 38 inches tall.
{hair} blackish brown.
{teeth} four bottom teeth, top four teeth, four molars, four canines, four two year molars.
{eyes} dark grey/brown.
{clothes} fits into 3T but prefers the fit of 4T.
{diapers} POTTY TRAINED!
{likes} books and reading, music, singing, dancing,
babies, any type of accessory (hat, bag or purse, bracelet, necklace),
Albee the Alligator, an old remote that she holds up to her ear like a
phone, watching and chasing the Roomba, picking her nose, eating, bath
time with Eloise, watching big kids or babies, chewing on anything,
riding in the car (usually), Eloise, lights, being tickled, talking, her
Lovie.
{dislikes} seeing some type of food on a
plate that she doesn’t have, having gas, being hungry or tired, having
her face or nose wiped off, sunscreen put on her face.
{nicknames} Daph, Daph Daph, Daphers, Bug, Daphne Doo, Daph-a-doo, Love, Lovebug.
And here’s Eloise’s three year update, if you are curious!
Happy THIRD Birthday, Daphne girl!
M
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