Jael: 2.5 - 3 years

Jael is almost three, so here's another update before we reach that milestone!
A few Jael-isms of late:
"I want a walla-lemon!" [watermelon]
To Daddy: "While you was gone at work, I made a SUH-PORT!" [fort]
After Sabbath school: "I want to have a picnic! IN HEAVEN!"
After leaving Grandma's house, with a big happy sigh: "Ahhhhhhhhh. I had a wovely day at Grandma's house!"
After I got back from my extended weekend: "I MISS you, Mama! I waited long, long time and I waited and waited! And you came!"
After I told her I needed to eat lots of food to make milk for Judah, she pondered, looked at the toast she wanted, and said, "Well. My baby needs lots of milk. I need food too!" 

She has developed an angelic voice for very sweetly and happily answering us. "Yes please!" or "May I ___, Mama?" Obviously it isn't used all the time. ;) But it's a heart melter when she does!

She's also dealing with sleep troubles at this age (2.5-3-ish). I think they are brought on by the move and she has been nightwaking a lot, crying frantically, refusing to sleep, thinking up dozens of reasons for us to come get her, etc. However, we finally switched our room to an upstairs room and moved her to the small one next door. There was a lot of built-up excited about the transition, new purple walls, a new little light, etc, and she has switched back with zero crying so far. I'm so happy about that! She has also decided that she must hug and kiss everyone goodnight and does it in a very orderly fashion, one by one.

She is a very organized little girl and likes everything to be done a certain way. If Mama said she would read the Bible story, than switching to Daddy is quite traumatic. Her food is carefully sorted on her plate. She organizes her books for reading. And she loves routine and carefully remembers everything I promise her. It's been hard this summer with all the house renovating which threw us off schedule and required more of my time. :( I miss time with my girl and hope that this fall will improve things.

At just before 3, she has also amused me  by inventing an imaginary friend. She read a book with Jeff about a little girl and her friend, told him "I want a friend", and then a few minutes later, "I have a friend. Her name Tina!" I have no idea where she has even heard that name, but ever since then, she has been telling me how she and Tina are doing this or that. "Tina is in the tweehouse!" or "Tina went to da store to get some food." or up on Greenbluff, "Tina and me are making castles in the SAND!" It is hilarious. A few days ago, she lined up her dolls in her bedroom on the floor in front of her and taught Sabbath School to them. When I came in and found her, she said proudly, "I am here with ALL MY PEOPLE! Baby and Dolly and Tina and Caillou!"

Jael has become much more cautious with this summer vacation than last year. She was apprehensive about the zoo, telling me multiple times, "We are going in the water tunnel [aquarium]. We will not swim in the water with the animals!"  She was also unsure about the water section of the children's museum. She's also afraid of  the UPS man and any random people that come to our house. The many painters, builders, etc, have not helped this fear!


Her vocabulary is excellent right now. She still has trouble with R's, but not the words. She mimics a lot of things we say and the other morning I laughed when she sat down on the couch, sighed dramatically, and said, "Appawently [apparently], we are not going to have a good day!"

I can't believe my beautiful girl is already going to be 3 years old, but love watching her grow and learn and become her own person. :)