The Threes: Terrible or Terrific?

I'll give you both sides and let you decide on your own.

First, the case of terrific....

-The girls actually know their colors, are learning letters slowly, and can do big kid puzzles (with some help)! Not the easy ones, the actual jig-saw variety.

Madeline working on her puzzle.

-Overall, the girls have known how to act when interacting with Will. They like touching him very gently but aren't all in his face. I feel like when my girls were 2 they wouldn't have understood that.

While watching a show, Madeline cuddled close to Will and interacted with him off and on.

Love this picture! 

-I love listening to them talk. They are especially talkative when they are not too wound up (during story time at night in particular). They talk about "yesterday" and "tomorrow", and who likes what, etc.  So fun!

-Once in awhile they will play with other kids! (They have played with their cousins for awhile now.) They stick together and are pretty cliquey at ECFE, but they recently made a friend at tot time open gym and had a blast with Anna and Elsa (my friend, Leah's kids).

Ring around the rosy, pocket full of posies.... (with Anna and Elsa)

We all fall down!

-I don't need to use the stroller for many outings. I can count on them to stay close in the parking lot. We're not to the point where they would stay with me during a grocery store trip or anything, but it's progress!

-They are still impatient, but I can reason with them on why we can't have dinner yet (we're waiting for dad!)

-Potty trained! (kinda)

Here is the case for terrible...

-This:

The girls were happily giggling while Dan and I were in another room. We had no idea what they were up to.

-This:

This was at 10 pm, more than an hour after we put them to bed (and had already told them to stop talking and go to sleep multiple times). They had taken their PJs and diapers off and were trying on clothes I had stored in their dresser.

Not cool. (Although we laughed after they couldn't see us!)

-This:

OK, so playing in the mud isn't a big deal, but it is if grandpa told them to stop and they just ignored him and kept doing it! Where are my good listeners?

-I can't just dress them how I want anymore! They know who has to wear what color and often insist on particular shirts, even if it's for the third day in a row. I say, pick your battles! I do know this is a very normal toddler type of phase and they are just craving independence, yada, yada, yada. (Sometimes I purposely put a TV show on that distracts them because then they won't notice what I'm putting them in- HA!)

-It seems like they get into more stuff now than when they were two. They never would have helped themselves to Resolve carpet cleaner and some wash cloths and cleaned the front door as two year olds, but YUP, they did that yesterday. Next time I'll show them where the Windex is.  (Just kidding, we're finally getting a lock for the cupboards.)

-Neediness and tantrums are still full-blown sometimes. Sofia is having the hardest time lately with neediness, but it is tied in with the whole baby adjustment, I believe.

-Potty training. It's on both sides because although they are basically potty-trained they still have accidents and it's stressful being out in public  After so many accidents you just want them back in diapers!! I never thought about how easy diapers make your life until it was time to lose them.

What I look forward to is for them to be "independent" potty-trained, for them to dress themselves (they're working on it), and for me to trust them when they're in another room. I am not wishing time away, but I can fondly anticipate the future, right?

Here are a couple more pics...

Leah practicing holding a newborn again! (She's due to have her 3rd child- a BOY- in March).

Sofia playing Jake and the Pirates

Josie happy to be showing off her "meow's yarn" (a loofah).

Meanwhile, Will (three weeks old now) is a very laid-back newborn. He only cries when he's hungry and when he's sleeping we barely remember he's there! Last week he was giving me good stretches at night, but the last three nights he wants to be fed every two hours still. I'm lucky, though. I know that he will get more demanding, but I'm hoping it's at the same time the girls get less demanding, more independent, and/or more trustworthy. (I know those are lofty hopes and dreams but maybe I'll be so lucky!)

Will! 

Nice outfit! (Thanks, Jimmy and Susie!)

Luckily, I have had great help since Will has been born (Thanks, Deb and Mike and mom and dad!) A new baby makes everything more complicated, but I'm slowly getting the hang of it and won't need as much help. The hardest part to do alone is from dinner until the girls' bedtime because Will naturally cluster feeds. Since Dan is home during that time it's great, but he is set to travel next week.

Hope you are all doing well!