Miss Hadleigh Claire is 3.3

My little miss is now 3 years and 3 months old. We are having a lot of fun together. She is very enthusiastic about everything, although sometimes she can be terribly slow. She loves to go to the grocery and get a cookie with sprinkles! She loves to help me pick weeds in the garden and check on her tomatoes. She loves to go on walks and wave at everyone who passes. She loves to play with her friends, and she asks constantly when school is going to begin again.

This morning as we walked the girls waved at every car that passed by us. Some folks waved back or gave a little beep, which thrilled the girls to no end, and some folks just never even saw us. If someone waved, HC would exclaim, "Oh Mama, she waved! She is SO nice!" And if they did not wave, she would say, "Oh they didn't wave, they are just too busy Mama!"

Every time we drive by her school she begs to go. I finally told her yesterday that school is on a break, and it will begin again in September. She seemed to understand generally, that the summer is a special time when we get to spend more time together as a family. We are enjoying the pool as often as possible. I started HC in swim lessons in May at a club pool to get her ready for this summer. She did reasonably well. I was actually hoping that she would be good enough that I could build on what they did. However she is not completely keen on the idea of me teaching her, so I signed her up for another gorup lesson at our pool. It actually has been a bit tumultuous. We have had 3 lessons and 3 different teachers. I think we are finally into a schedule now, but it has been a bit painful. AND, may I say, I think it is ridiculously expensive. I am willing to pay when I taking her to the club pool because I am also paying for the use of the pool...but all I am paying for here is the instructor...and well...I just think, in general, it is good for a high schooler to make minimum wage. But I guess I am WAY off. OK, enough about that rant. With all the drama with the lesson I think that HC is more willing to let me work with her, so I will continue to teach her once June is over.

HC loves to sing and is constantly making up songs. She just sings songs all day long. It is fun to listen to her play and sing. She also is back into reading, and she and I always read a special book together before her nap. I actually broke out Winnie the Pooh again. I read it to her when she was really little, but I think she might enjoy it now. She might be a little young, but we will see how it goes with chapter books.

Her memorization is going really well. The past couple of weeks we have been working on Philippians 2.14-16, do all things without grumbling or arguing... And we have been talking about speaking respectfully and what that means. This has been a big area that Dave began teaching her about, and I have found that it applies to so many things. Whining, complaining, arguing, etc. So, Dave began to instruct her in things she could be thankful for. For example, HC might (maybe I should say she does say this all the time) say, "I don't want to got home!" and then we will correct her with, "Dada, thank you SO much for taking me to the grocery. I had so much fun seeing Miss Mary (the cookie lady) and getting a cookie with sprinkles." So far he has had decent success...but it is interesting to listen to her speak and see how often she does speak disrespectfully to me. It also makes me think about the words that come out of my mouth. Ouch!

Hadleigh has become a little mama. She is always mothering Annelise, for better or worse. It is funny, and sometimes terrifying to listen to the ways she speaks to Annelise...just like I speak to her...hmmm... But she is very helpful in so many ways. She loves to help me around the house, which I am thankful for. It is good for her to play, but also good for her to learn to work and to help, and to be a blessing to her family.

Yea, we are still working on the poop thing. We have starts and stops...don't know...still an issue. Anyway, that is my big girl. She is all 3! And I am enjoying it.