eloise {three years}

{lion: jellycat via Nordstrom // tee: Old Navy // skirt: June and January // party hats: DIY}

{three years} Three years. I seriously can’t believe it. Eloise seems old and young at the same time (and if you have had recently or currently have a three year old, you know what I mean!). I am amazed by how much she understands and how well she communicates. It’s astounding. She is this incredible little person and I am so, so honored to be able to watch her grow, and also very humbled that I have the great responsibility of raising her. {See her grow up: birth story // one year // two years}

Since we sleep trained Eloise when she was five months old, she has basically been a great sleeper. 12 hours at night and a nice nap (most days). But, as we got into the mid-year of her twos, we started running into issues of Eloise screaming and crying when we tried to leave for bedtime. Aaron got the brunt of it since I was either pregnant or caring for newborn-Daphne, but her wails would echo thru the house! After getting some advice from friends and talking it thru, we started getting more firm with a bedtime routine. I think most of our issues stemmed from Eloise’s expectation that she would get an endless amount of books before she went to sleep and each night was a negotiation; now we have a firm rule of one book at naptime and two books at bedtime, though those books can be lost if she is naughty in the time leading up to sleeping time or during the bedtime routine. And we also found that if we allowed her to have books in her bed to “read” while she is falling asleep, it’s helpful too. Eloise takes a really long time to fall asleep (sometimes over an hour) which is partly because I still allow her to have a pretty long afternoon nap if she’ll take it, but she does do well falling asleep herself.

Eloise has been an amazing big sister these past five months. She has always loved babies and was really in-tune with what was going in with my pregnancy, but you just don’t know how things are going to shake out once that baby comes home (and never leaves)! We have had our moments for sure, but the vast majority of the time, Eloise is awesome about Daphne. She is always so loving and curious about her, and just wants to help all. the. time. My little mama. It has been amazing to see the relationship between these two girls!

Just in the last week or so we started Time Out with Eloise. One of the parenting books that I have flipped thru (The Incredible Years) recommended that real Time Out really isn’t effective until the age of three. Before this, we put toys (or whatever was the issue) into Time Out, or just removed Eloise from the situation that was causing the issue. Eloise is a pretty good kid (considering she is a toddler and exploring her boundaries) and does not like to be in trouble (just like her mama) so we didn’t have a ton of issues. But there are some things that Aaron and I have decided aren’t tolerable in our house (like hitting or throwing) that lead to an official Time Out. Eloise isn’t great with Time Out as she screams and cries the entire time and really just wants someone to stay with her, but I think it’s been effective. I know she doesn’t totally understand it yet as a consequence, but the vast majority of the time just the threat of a Time Out will correct behavior quickly!

Eloise’s pre-school is based on the school calendar year, so she has been on summer break since the end of June and will start again in early September (right after Labor Day). While our school schedule in the PNW is vastly different than the rest of the country it seems, it really fits our weather much better regarding summer. We don’t really get warm until June (or even July) and have a gorgeous September, so it really works out well. This year Eloise will attend the same pre-school (the Birch School) but will go four mornings a week (Monday thru Thursday) instead of just two. It is great because on Tuesday mornings she will go to story time at the library with her class which is something I have struggled to make happen with both girls (trying to get everyone out of the house in the morning to make a 25 minute story time is a little insane). Eloise asks at least twice a week when she gets to go back to school, so as much as we have enjoyed the summer, I think we are all ready to get back into the school routine in the fall. She just loves her teachers and her friends and just thrives in that environment which is so wonderful for us to see. I am currently starting to research possible Pre-K programs for Eloise to start in the fall of 2018 (which is blowing my mind… Pre-K? That means Kindergarten is just around the corner).

In the past few months, Eloise has learned how to button buttons and zip zippers. It isn’t all the time, but she always tries at first (“I can do it all by myself!”) and about half the time she needs help. But I am seriously impressed with her fine motor dexterity!

Also, band-aids. So many band-aids. We love the Oh Joy! ones from Target since there are fun designs and colors (without any character branding) that I can also wear, and I buy at least three boxes at a time. Eloise has a habit of re-skinning her knees as soon as they are healed from the last time, mostly from running down the sidewalk. I am a total klutz so hopefully she doesn’t follow my lead and gets over it sooner rather than later…

Lastly, we did (in May) turn Eloise’s car seat around so that she is forward-facing. It was a really agonizing decision and we went back and forth for a really long time on it, but ultimately turning her around made the most sense.

And the newest rendition of Things Eloise Says:

“Papa is a big giant boy! He can run. He can catch me. He can play tag and drink coffee.”

“Why does Susan (our neighbor) have her Christmas lights on? Maybe she likes them? Or maybe she needs them in her life?” (Shrugs.)

Papa: “Eloise are you string?” Eloise: “Yes. And din-dependent. (Independent.)”

Papa: “Your brain is very interesting.” Eloise: “And independent!”

“I don’t prefer my zucchini.”

Says everything three times (like from her Eloise books): It’s my favorite, favorite, favorite! I loved it, loved it, loved it!

Watching the marching band: “Maybe they are going to the marching band house. Or to school. Or to work, but not Papa’s work.”

“Do you think he has a weeding whacker?”

Eloise: “I love ice cream.” Me: “Oh, what is your favorite flavor?” Eloise: “Chocolate. Purple chocolate.” (This is before she had ever had ice cream!)

“Adios! I’m going to Mexico… It’s not open. Mexico.”

Papa: “Where does (cow) milk come from?” Eloise: “Cows.” Papa: “So if cow milk comes from cows, where does almond milk come from?” Eloise: “Bears?” (Papa asks again.) Eloise: “Teddy bears?”

“Maybe he’s brooming” (about Aaron sweeping the stairs).

Eloise: “Here you go Mama, this is for you” as she hands me a painted picture. Mama: “Oh thank you, it’s beautiful!” Eloise: “I know you love it.”

Mama: “Which jammies do you want to wear for naptime?” Eloise: “My Christmas jammies. I know it’s not Christmas. I love Christmas!”

Eloise: “Can Stella see the world?” (She wanted to take Stella her doll outside.)

“Hey there little cutie!” whenever she sees Daphne.

“Did you get those nom-a-noms from Madeleine’s party?” referring to M&Ms.

“Paga (my dad). You have a guest downstairs waiting for you. I don’t remember his name but he’s a guest!”

Running down the street: “This is a really good workout for me!”

Puts board books into her jean shorts: “Mama, it’s a nice little present.”

“Hot sauce is kind of my favorite but I don’t like the flavor of it.”

Birthday Interview. {I am hoping to do this interview every year to see how the answers change!}

What is your name? Eloise.
How old are you? Three (holds up three fingers).
What is your favorite thing to do? Play with Mama and Papa, and go on walks.
What do you want to be when you grow up? A doggie.
What is your favorite food? Bananas and pee-pop (it’s a food that you drink, it’s like milk or water or something like that).
Who do you like to spend your time with? Mama and Papa and Daphne and Sadie.
What do you do really well? Um, play with food.
What makes you laugh? Jokes.
What is the best time of day? Opening presents.
What are you afraid of? (Shakes her head). I like cats.
Who is your best friend? Mama.
What do you like to do with your family? Paint.
What do you love to learn about? Blocks.
Where do you like to go? To school.
What is your favorite book? Curious George.
If you had one wish, what would it be? I would make a witch?

{weight} 31 pounds, 8 ounces (50 to 75%); height: 36.5 inches (25 to 50%)*

{hair} (reddish) brown.

{teeth} 20 teeth plus four molars.

{eyes} dark brown.

{clothes}  2T (swimsuits from last year), some 3T, mostly 4T.

{diapers} underpants during the day and for naps, Honest Co. diapers at nighttime. {And the only reason she is even in diapers still during nighttime is because neither Aaron nor I have wanted to make the commitment; we are just now sleeping consistently thru the night and want to enjoy that for a moment. Eloise is the type of kid who will pee in a diaper if she is wearing one, so it isn’t like we are waiting for her to wake-up dry in the morning. Plus, her pediatrician just told me that (in his opinion) “nighttime training” isn’t really a thing and children will naturally stop producing urine at night sometime between 3 and 8 years. Long story short, it’s up in the air!}

{feeding} during the day, three meals, morning snack, & afternoon snack. cup of milk with every meal.

{likes} coloring, yelling, Duplos, digging in the dirt, splashing, counting, chewing on her toothbrush, the mailman (Teddy), any person outside on the sidewalk, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, coloring, buckles, jumping, watching out the front window (dogs, kids, trucks), books, mama & papa’s cell phone, toys that squeak or rattle, singing & music, dancing, Sadie, FaceTime, bathtime, shoes, mama’s (diaper) bag, clapping, putting things inside a bag or box, taking lids off of things, talking, helping with anything & everything, when Papa comes home from work.

{dislikes} not being included, having something taken away from her, not eating when someone else is, being hungry, TimeOut.

{nicknames} Bug, Love Bug, Baby Bug, E, Wheezy, Kiddo, Love, Bugaboo, E-Lo or Elle.

*I always said Eloise was a big two year old, especially in comparison to some of her friends, but according to her weight and height stats, she really isn’t!

Happy THREE years Eloise!

M

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