See Reaghan Grow! {3 years}

How is this girl 3 years old?!

Our Reaghan Eileen had her birthday last weekend! We had a fun, family "Moana" party {that I'll share in a different post} on her birthday and she loved it. We had been marking off the days on her calendar that led up to her birthday and it was cute to see the anticipation building in her little mind.

Nothing makes me more sentimental than thinking about my first born growing up. Gahhh, it gets me every time. Google photos made a video today that put together all the videos we've taken of Reaghan since her second birthday until now and I couldn't believe how much she's grown. I was proud of myself for watching the whole video without crying, I could feel the tears coming on but I held them at bay!

Here are some stats on our big girl in her 3rd year, some of the milestones she reached this past year, some of her favorite things and some things that make her unique:

• She had her well-check at the doctors this past week and she is 36 inches tall and a little over 28 pounds. A year ago she was just at the 5th percentile for weight but now she is at the 25th so she's gained a little ground on her petite-ness. Ever sine Lilly was born she's been very intimidated by going to the doctors, but she was very brave and I was very proud of her. She was nervous but she held it together and didn't have any meltdowns.
• She graduated to a big girl bed! It was an easy transition for all of us.

• She became a big sister and totally rocks at it! She loves to make Lilly laugh. She likes to run in to her room when I tell her she can wake Lilly up from her nap. She generally loves to share, but likes some toys to be just for her. She likes to help me feed Lilly, play with her in the bath and push her around in her doll stroller.

• She gets nervous around big crowds or new situations. Her nervous habit it to put her fingers in her mouth and we are currently working on breaking that habit
• Her favorite movie is Moana. She also loves Tangled and Trolls and Mulan. She loves to sing the songs to all of the movies!

• Her favorite show is Lion Guard and Daniel Tiger. She knows all the songs from Daniel Tiger for all the different situations she finds herself in. She often sings them to me to encourage me - like one time when I was mumbling about not being able to park in a parking spot she sang "Don't worry mom. Do your best! your best is the best for you!" Thanks, Reag!

• She has started role playing in her play. She likes to pretend she's the characters from Lion Guard running around the backyard chasing hyenas away. 

• Her favorite ways to play inside: doll house with her princess barbies, shopping and making food and coffee in her kitchen, playing with her Daniel Tiger characters in their trolley, taking care of her baby dolls and dressing up in princess dresses to go to the ball.
• Her favorite ways to play outside: red light green light, "mother may I?", kicking the soccer ball, breaking sticks in half (whatever floats your boat little one!), riding her scooter and swinging

• She is fully potty trained during the day but still needs pull ups at nap time and bedtime.
• She can draw crosses, circles, and lines. She has started drawing people and its my favorite, she makes sure to give them chins and spiky hair.
• She can recognize all of her letters and we are learning their sounds and how to write them.
• She knows her address, her birthday, and the names of her mommy and daddy.
• She can sort of count to 20... it usually goes something like this.... "eleven, twelve, firteen, fourteen, firteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, twenty."
• She is learning how to cut with her scissors! She can't cut on a line yet, but she enjoys making a mess cutting lots of strips of paper.
• She is still an extremely picky eater. You guys. This is such a challenge for me in parenting. I go back and forth from not making it a big deal, to getting worried that she's not getting enough nutrients, to getting frustrated that she won't obeying and even trying a little bite of something. She is a self proclaimed vegetarian except for the fact that she doesn't like veggies. So a fruititarian maybe?
• She finally gave up her pacifier at night. {hallelujah!}
• Her favorite books are "Little Critter" books and her current favorite song to sing at bedtime is "Be Careful Little Eyes"
• She L O V E S puzzles. We do them almost every day and she's pretty good at them!
• She has a very sensitive and reserved spirit. She is tenderhearted and compassionate but has a stubbornness that runs deep that she gets from her dad. So much of her reminds me of her dad. She loves to be silly. She doesn't like to cuddle. And she loves sprinkles on her donuts! ; ) 

Sweet Reag, you teach me every day about how to be a better mommy and a better person. We are in full on toddler to mom mode these days and some days are better than others. I wish I knew all the right answers; all the best parenting techniques. Some days my patience is less than stellar. Some days I'm busier than I want to be and I don't play with you enough. But I am praying daily that God would show me how to raise you to love Him. I pray that I would know how to cultivate your sensitive heart to be compassionate towards others and to be kind and courageous. There is so much I have to learn and sometimes I am sorry that you get the brunt of all of my learning! I continue to be so grateful to be your mommy. I love our days together. I love every bit of who you are and who you are becoming.