Say What?!!?Where do I even begin with this girl...
Stats:
Weight: 29 lbs (29%)Height: 38 inches (79%; she grew 4 inches in a year!)
Clothes size: moving into 4T
Shoe size: 8
Aria is still a force. She knows what she wants and doesn't like. And hell, she will tell you. I swear sometimes she picks a fight with me just because...and then laughs. I asked her why, in my desperate attempt to get her dressed and ready for bed one night, why she resists and fights with me. She told me, "It's fun!" Grrrr
She is so full of personality. While she learned the rolling of the eyes from Luc, she is so outgoing and bubbly. She'll walk right up to any kid and talk to them, especially to girls and tells them she loves their dress or shoes.
She is super picky about her own clothes and shoes. I pick out an outfit every day and 99.6% of the time she changes something about it.
Lately, naps have been disappearing. The only way to get her to sleep is if she's tied down in her car seat with nothing to do. Then she has to know that everyone else is stuck there with her and not doing anything exciting. Only then will she give in and pass out.
At night, she's waiting until Luc goes to bed to let herself fall asleep. This summer she was great at going to bed. No fighting, no keeping herself up. This Fall- total turn around. She wants to bring a book into bed to "read", the door has to be left open a crack, and she won't give in until Luc comes up for bed (usually within a half hour of her). After Luc brushes his teeth, she calls for him and he goes in her room. He climbs onto the outside of the crib to give her a hug and/or kiss and they tell each other good night (and I love you) about 3 times.
I haven't written down a lot of milestone and knowledge that she knows over the last year because she knows so much from copying Luc I can't keep up. She counts. One day she did it to 20! She's learning her alphabet, knows all her colors, can name more animals than I can count, can dress/undress socks, pants, and skirts all by herself, put her boots on, and a bunch of other things.
Her Favorite Foods: Mac n Cheese, Eggs, veggies, yogurt tubes, applesauce pouches, salami
Least Favorite foods: chicken nuggets, fish sticks, most fruits, plain cheese, milk
Favorite games: Pretend to be a doggy or kitty, mommy or doctor; hide n seek (though she won't hide on her own)
Favorite TV Shows: Puppy Dog Pals, Vampirina, Doc McStuffins, Elena of Avalor
Aria will be joining Luc at school next year. Enrollment forms are due this month! Ah! And this Spring will be potty training time. Double AH! And Triple AH because we will also transition her out of her crib to encourage her to use the potty at night when/if she needs it. Knowing her personality and lack of obedience, she's going to be one of those kids who's constantly getting out of bed. God, give me lots and lots of patience when the Spring approaches.
We did survive Aria's weaning off the pacifier! She nearly tore the Build-a-Bear apart that has her last pacifier sewn into it. After leaving the bear in the closet, and giving her time to adjust, she can now play with the bear and not try to destroy it. And while she's hasn't asked for her pacifier in a long time now, we have noticed she uses applesauce pouches to chew on to substitute her oral fixation need. As soon as she's upset or tired, she asks to have a pouch.
And she loves to tell Daddy that he needs to shave. She refuses to kiss him if he's scruffy. Or sometimes she'll just kiss his nose if he's too scratchy.
Aria is quite a challenge to me (and Frederic as well). She is so strongly opinionated and does not back down. She is loud and persistent. She has a great memory and insists things be done how and when she wants it. She is very outgoing and vocal. Often times it is hard for us to fight back and stick to our guns, when giving in and not hearing her cry and fight is easier. While we love this part of her personality and know it will serve her extremely well in the future, it is very hard at the moment to control and focus.
(oh, and I trimmed her hair a few weeks ago. She was turned her back toward me while in the tub playing, so I took out tiny scissors and took about a half inch off without her even knowing. The ends here just so dry from the summer-and never being cut before. It wasn't as traumatic (for me) as I thought it would be... but her hair is getting a lot darker, like Luc's, and that is making me sad. Soon all her baby bright blonde hair will be trimmed off and there will be no more remembrance of her silky locks she was born with.)
Aria's Birthday
I used my last PL day of the year for Aria's birthday. And since Luc didn't have school, we stayed home. Aria opened her gifts before Frederic left for work.
She got a Barbie, Disney princess dolls (Cinderella, Aurora; and Ariel from Matt & Jackie), a baby Bambi stuffed animal (from Aunt Anita and Uncle Ron), Minnie Mouse purse and accessories (from Matt & Jackie), and a Disney princess castle.
Frederic got home early and brought mini cupcakes for dessert.
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Aria's Birthday Party
Sat, Dec 30th at our house, with grandparents and Uncle Dave.
Theme: Doc McStuffins
And of course, again this year, it was snowing on the day of the party and we prayed it wouldn't get bad and no one would come, or would have to leave too early. Luckily, again, we lucked out.
