Sweet Clara,

The past month with you has made me wonder why people always say, “terrible two’s” when it is clear that the three’s are much harder.  It’s not that you aren’t a ton of fun, it’s just that you resist us more than you used to.  You just question us more, and we find ourselves telling you to obey more.  I have even used the dreaded phrase, “because i said so” in response to your inquiry about something or other.  You can be exhausting at times, but mostly you are more enjoyable than ever.  You are getting to be such a big girl.

The past month you have started saying a new phrase that is so adorable.  Last weekend i had to be out of town and you and Daddy and Ike picked me up at the airport (thank for the beautiful flowers) and when i picked you up you touched my hair and told me, “Ooooh, mom, I love your hair.  I love your shirt.  I love your pants.  I love your new shoes.”  How cute, and my shoes really were new!  Another time, we were running in a gas station so you could use the bathroom, and  a HUGE white truck was parked next to our car.  As we walked by, you reached out and touched it, announcing, “Mom, I love this white truck so much.”  You make me laugh.

You are always talking, you are always playing with a baby, you never want to eat.  You have been potty trained for about 6 months now, which is great.  You have started reasoning with us, making deals with us related to bedtime or eating.  Almost every morning you tell me you don’t want to go to pre-school, you want to stay home with me.  It makes me so happy and so sad at the same time.  Of course I love that you want to be with me, but i am saddened by the fact that that isn’t possible.  I know you love pre-school though, because we talk about it at length every night at bedtime.  You tell about all the kids in your class, who went in time out, who pushed you, who you played with and what you played.  You tell me you obey Ms. Joanne, and you never get time out.  You recite for me the days of the week, the months of the year, and you are counting to 50.  You can do them all in English and Spanish.  I am so proud of you.

Every night we pray for you, and sometimes lately you ask if you can pray for me.  You put your hand on me and start praying that “mommy obeys her teachers and is safe at preschool” and other things that we pray for you.  You are such a sweet and precious girl, I love your teachable heart and your sweet spirit.

you sneak out in the hallway to sleep

Love you.

I cannot believe my baby girl is THREE! years old.  You are SO grown up.  You even tell me, “No, i’m not a little girl.  I’m a big girl.”  And sometimes you add, “Ike the little boy.”  I think it is hilarious how you still haven’t completely figured out when to say he or she, him or her, so you usually say the female pronouns.  So, you will be talking about uncle Tyler and say something about her, and of course you refer to Ike as her and she most of the time.  occasionally you remember and say, Ike’s a him, he’s a boy.  Clara’s a girl.  Mama’s a girl, she’s Jessica.  Daddy’s a boy, he’s Zach.

And I really love how you say your full name, Clara Adelaide Newcomb.  It is so sweet.

feeding the ducks on the bike trail

One of our new favorite family activities is bike riding.  You and Ike sit in the bike trailer behind me or daddy, and you yell out, “faster, faster!”  You give me and daddy quite a good workout!  So, we usually stop along the way at a duck pond along the trail, and the last time we stopped one of the ducks had just had babies.  You and Ike LOVED watching them follow the mommy duck around.  We fed them our sandwiches for our picnic and you guys were squealing and jumping around with excitement about watching them eat.  You guys quacked and waddled around, playing with the ducks.

So, guess what you did for the first time one week before your birthday?  You cut your own hair!  You gave yourself bangs!  And you know what?  You did a pretty good job   I never would have given you bangs, but i think they look really cute on you.  But, in the future, no cutting your own hair…or Ike’s.  thanks.

Clara's first self-haircut

Clara, so many things have changed about you in the past year.  You have grown so much, and you are talking so much and so well.  You are a big helper.  I love when you talk to Ike, helping him along with something.  I especially love how you will take him by the hand and guide him where he needs to go.  Usually he goes along and you guys can sometimes be found walking around hand in hand, which always leaves a big lump in my throat as i fight back tears of joy.  You cannot stand to let Ike go to bed without a hug and kiss from his big sis.  You enjoy reading to him.  Your nature is to nurture.  You are always in “mommy mode.”

Which brings me to something that has NOT changed in all three of your years, you love babies.  You love being a little mommy to each and every one of your dolls.  On your actual birthday we decided to take you to the store and let you pick out ANYthing you wanted.  As far as you knew, there were no limits to what you could have.  But, what do you think you decided to buy?  A new baby of course!  You seriously considered a doll house, but when forced to choose only ONE thing you gave up the doll house for the baby.  And this new baby is your first that is interactive.  She laughs when you tickle her.  She moves her mouth and makes noise while she drinks a bottle.  She burps and then falls asleep.  And you love her.

Two days later we had your party.  One of your presents was a gift card from Brayden (who was the only boy you wanted at your party by the way), which we took to the toy store and you picked out…….not one, but TWO babies!  Twins!  They are also interactive.  They talk to each other and to you.  And of course, you love them.

When we got home you did something very out of character: you asked me to take your picture…with your babies.

so excited!

lovin on baby

You were interested in one other toy before you settled on the new twin babies:

we're not ready to shell out the $400 this Barbie Cadillac costs

You had a great time at your birthday party.  You had the Dora cake you requested.  You had the red and purple balloons you requested.  All the friends you asked to invite were here to celebrate with you.  I loved watching you play with the other 6 kids you invited.  You guys had a blast making little pizzas, having an impromptu dance party in your bedroom, twirling in your new twirly skirt, opening gifts, and getting lots of love from your family and friends.  Clara, you are a precious girl, a joy of a daughter, and a gentle, sweet princess.  I love you so very much.

Purple and red balloons

Dora cake made by Mommy

Dora decorations

the whole gang--including grandpa!

Brayden wanted "dora's eyes"

DANCING!!!

Love you sweet girl...looking forward to our next year together...

Dearest Clara,

I am loving everything about you right now.

I am loving how you are so particular, knowing EXACTLY how you want your clothes, your hair, your food, your bed, your carseat, your markers and paper…i think you get the idea.  As a matter of fact, just tonight you instructed me on just when the water was at the perfect level during bath time.  and before that you had pointed out to Daddy which spot on your plate the cottage cheese should go in.  and before that you situated Ike and then yourself in the appropriate place on the bench seat at the table.

i am loving how you will ask me, “Mama, is this a dinosaur?” while pointing to a tiger.  “No, that’s a tiger Clara.”  To which you answer, “No, it’s a dinosaur.”  But when i look over at you I can see that you are smiling a silly little smile that tells me you KNEW it was a tiger but you were trying to be funny.  We go through this sequence but with different objects over and over again.  You always find it very amusing.

i am loving how you want to help with Ike all the time.  I’ll say it’s time to put Ike night-night, and you say, NO!  I do it!  and you rush to him and give him a kiss and start reading him a book.  You are very sweet with him, but he doesn’t always appreciate it yet.  Many days i find the two of you playing together very happily, like yesterday when you had showed him how to sit with his legs spread apart so you guys could roll a ball back and forth to each other.

i am loving how you resist waking up from naps, and mornings when we have to wake you to go somewhere, and you hide your face and reply, “I’m tired.  I not go to preschool.”  It actually makes me quite sad, because i would much prefer to just let you sleep.

Lion Clara...ROAR!

you have learned the phrase “best friend” in the past month.  you claim Sara Beth and Lexie as best friends at school, and Eva, Willow and River as best friends from TC.  Of course you can only have one best friend at a time, so you choose carefully.  recently we had to have a conversation about how to treat friends because you got in trouble and i had to discipline you; instead of reponding correctly, you told me through tears, “you not my best friend any more”

you give us plenty of opportunities lately to teach you about how to treat others with respect and kindness.

playing with eva

clara + eva = BFF

this past month your bike riding skillz have improved, and you are wearing the wheels off of your hand-me-down pink bike.  you are such a character!  I love the enthusiasm you put into everything you do…

i’m looking forward to next month when we will celebrate your third birthday…you have informed us that you want a Dora party…FANTASTICO!