That's my girl!

Everyone always told me that 3 year olds were harder than 2 year olds. I believed them, but never completely understood until I had one of my own! Brooklyn's little personality has really come out the past few months and it's been fun to watch. Biggest lesson I have learned lately is they really are their own little person and they have their own opinions, likes and dislikes, and you have to let them express it! Brooklyn gets frustrated easily, but who doesn't? Brooklyn loves to be teased and can hold her own and tease back. Her daddy has taught her well! As long as Brooklyn gets what she wants she is happy. Sadly, that can't always happy, but I do try to let her express herself and then I tell her why she can't get what she wants. And you know what? She listens! She really does, she takes it all in and asks questions and tries her best to understand. Though I'm pretty sure a lot of what I say still goes over her head sometimes. :)


Here are a few things she has done over the past two weeks that have really amazed me or made me laugh.

Brooklyn went into her room for a time out. She loves to play in her room with her piggy bank. Sometimes I leave her in her room for longer than her time out amount because she's quiet and having fun in there. On this particular day, not 10 minutes later I go into her room to find her asleep. She was exhausted! Usually she's only in time out when she's grouchy, which means she needs rest anyway so I'm glad she fell asleep.
Brooklyn loves to scream when she's upset and doesn't know how to vocalize her frustration. My step mom once told me that she used to have to go in her garage when she would scream as a child. I tried this out with Brooklyn (sorry to our neighbors if you have heard this). It's nice because it muffles the sound. Eliza always cries when Brooklyn gets too loud. However, one day she wouldn't put on her shorts or her underwear so I forced the underwear on her while she screamed at the top of her lungs and I then put her in the garage to let her scream it out. It got quiet after awhile (she usually starts knocking to come back inside when she's done) so I went out to find this. Brooklyn found her sidewalk chalk and decided to make the most of her situation. Too funny!

We were cleaning out our basement to prepare for the neighborhood dump day and Brooklyn was getting into the wrong kind of trouble so I opened up some bins with baby toys and Brooklyn made herself right at home. I'm still amazed at how much she wants to be a baby sometimes. But hey, at least it kept her entertained!

We talk a lot about when she grows bigger to help her want to eat healthier and to help her be proud of how big she already is instead of wanting to be a baby like her sister so she can get the same attention. One day we were driving somewhere and we were having this conversation again and we were talking about how she would be big enough to drive a car one day. And she said "and I'll buy you a big, big car seat!" This instantly put a picture in my mind of me in the back of her car in a giant car seat. I laughed out loud!

The other thing she said a few days ago was while she was getting ready for bed. We have this Jesus story that is a basic story of Jesus' life. Her dad was reading it with her and lately she's been asking more and more questions about the crucifixion and she's been soaking it all in her little head. I was listening in the other room. So they got to the part about Jesus being baptized and Marty was talking about how she would be baptized one day. Then Brooklyn says "but I don't want to be crucified". Can you blame her?
Brooklyn amazes me sometimes! I sure love that little girl!