from 2 to 3

ok. so i'm 4 months late on this post. marianne is three. and what a difference a year made, full of lots of hellos and goodbyes. last summer she said goodbye to the daycare she had been attending since she was 3 months old and to the teachers there who took such amazing care of her. and a welcome hello to new teachers and friends at her preschool that's just one block from home...walking her to and from school has created some wonderful memories for me. no surprise that she immediately buddied up with the boys—max, gavin, and james—and she made her first "girl" friend, emerson. 

towards the end of summer she had to say her first goodbye to a family pet...our hopelessly eager, undeniably lovable dog george. she learned to crawl and walk with george right by her side and he happily let her climb all over him, tug his ears, cover him with blankets, and steal his tennis balls from the yard. george's health declined over the summer as he approached liver failure and in aug 2011, we said our goodbyes. she still talks about him and just tonight she started asking me about getting a new doggy (who she wants to name tucker, just like stella's puppy). i had to break the bad news that it's going to be a REALLY long time until we add a puppy to our family.

the house didn't stay quiet for long. in december, marianne became a big sister. welcoming her baby brother, henry, into our home. marianne is an amazing big sister. she loves him so much. she is constantly bear hugging him, baby talking him which elicits the biggest smiles, fetching his pacifier, greeting him when he wakes from naps, running to him when he cries, entertaining him in the car, and cheering him on in his every accomplishment. but of course she's done her share of sibling hazing—bending his fingers back, getting in a few extra whacks here and there, and swiping every toy he gets his hands on. all in all, she has welcomed him with open, loving arms. she insists on introducing him to everyone we come in contact with throughout the day (no matter whether it's a friend, acquaintance, or stranger).

i'd have to say that 2 was a great year. at the 2.5 mark she did discover her sass and started challenging boundaries and our perseverance but i feel strongly that we won that battle. and i say battle because i'm certain it's only one of many that will be waged in this war. but she truly is a sweet sweet girl and she knows how to work her charm...esp on her daddy. it's amazing to see this little person she is becoming, with preferences and opinions and no hesitation in voicing them. her favorite color is pink (awesome!) and her outfit of choice (everyday!) is a dress. she knows her ABCs by memory and by sight. she can count to 23 but adamantly leaves out 14 and 15. her favorite foods are mac-n-cheese, sausage, peas, and blueberries. still a BIG fan of milk and loves water. her hair finally started growing and i would dare to say that it's finally long and "gold" (what marianne calls blonde). 

marianne has a sense of humor and a truly happy heart. her smile, her smile, her smile. i guess every parent feels this way about their child's smile but when she smiles i feel that everything is right in the world. she is constantly making me laugh. she's a super-helpful backseat driver: she won't let me forget to drive with two hands on the wheel and tells me that green means "stop" and red means "go" (only because she knows that it's visa versa but thinks it's so funny to try to make me "go" when the light is red...traffic laws and safety aside, i'm with her on that one). marianne loves running, climbing, painting, building, swimming, dancing, playing with dolls/animals, reading, riding the carousel, playing instruments, and cooking with momma. she is always asking me about her out-of-state nana and papa, grandma and grandpa, aunts, uncles, and cousins (by name), and her friend stella.

she's my precious baby girl and i don't think there's even enough space in my heart for how much she fills me up. every night i tuck her in i tell her my secret to her: 

you are a blessing.

you are so smart and very brave.

you are a wonderful big sister to henry.

you are a good listener.

you are beautiful inside and out, just the way you are.

and i love you, marianne.

from 2 to 3: