Sweet Maryn Elizabeth is Three Years Old!

Oh my goodness, this little fireball turned three today!  In true Maryn fashion, she requested that we sing to her all day, throughout the day. She loved her birthday, and we loved celebrating her. Although it was just our little family of five (conveniently off for Labor Day), she received phone calls from lots of different family and friends. She knew today was all about her.

We started out the day opening all the presents that JB and I wrapped the night before.  (He could not contain his excitement and told her the gift before she even got the paper off.)  She squealed with delight each and every gift - even the clothes and rainboots!  She loves gifts and is so polite, always saying "thank you!" whenever you give something to (or do something for) her.

Maryn wanted Chicken Minis for breakfast, but sadly they close Chick-Fil-A on most all holidays.  She immediately switched her preference to McDonald's, which proves our love for this little girl... She (and JB) devoured their pancakes, then enjoyed lots of playtime on the playground.

Attempts at family shots for Maryn's big day...total fail...but y'all know I have to at least try!

After breakfast we had lots of playtime with some new gifts, I painted her toenails AND fingernails (a very bright hot pink), and we FaceTimed with family.  Lots of fun!  Daddy and JB came home from an errand with a bright pink and purple cake. 

Miss M, some things I have to remember about you right now (because you're just the most stinkin' cute three year old I know!)

• You are very sassy and very bossy. You demand that we do things for you, but the other day I caught you requesting that one of our (older, HS) neighbor boys get something for you (when I knew darn well you could get it yourself!) 

• Not surprisingly, Daddy has a hard time telling you no. You have him wrapped around your little finger. You adore JB, although you're constantly looking for ways to push his buttons. And Wesley you adore bossing around. Actually, I think you adore bossing all the Sasser boys around, now that I think about it!

• You're always looking for snakes because you say "I love snakes".  Well, today we had a snake on our porch and you lost your little mind! I don't think you love them as much as you think.

• Speaking of fears, masks (and people in masks) are an intense fear right now. It breaks my heart how terrified you are of them, and we can't even talk about masks without you getting upset. It doesn't help your big brother is obsessed with Superhero costumes!

• You love to sing!  You are still obsessed with your VBS music, all your Music Class music, and then other church songs.  You ask me to sing to you "Jesus Loves Me" and "Jesus Loves All My Friends" (which is how you refer to "Jesus Loves the Little Children", so funny).

• You are starting to get more into movies and cartoons, but your attention span is short. Right now your favorite show is the 1950s Three Little Pigs series (thanks, Netflix!) You also love to watch kids playing with toys on YouTube, even though you know you're not supposed to. I'll come in the room and you'll say "Mom, she not play with toys, I pwomise" (even though the kid totally is....)

• OH, your grammar, baby girl... first, your vocab and speech have exploded this second half of your third year. We went from words and phrases to full blown conversations. But your correct use of the English language has not caught up. Still, it's so cute and we can't help but laughing!  You routinely mix up "she/her" and "he/his".  Our friends who live behind us have twin girls Wesley's age, and you're always asking "where dem babies at?"  You say everything is "mines".  So funny...

• Like I said above, you're very polite. Always saying "please" and "thank you". You tell people they look pretty. If people (usually adults, like Ms T) say they like your outfit, you'll offer to let them borrow it.  But you can be deceptively sweet sometimes - like when you push Wesley off of things while simultaneously saying "I sorry, Wes, I not mean to baby boy!!"

• You are more than happy to procrastinate or avoid things. For example: as we potty trained this year we would ask when you were going to go, ahem, in the potty.  You'd think and say "on Sunday".  If you don't want to eat something for breakfast you'll say "I only eat those in the morning time".  And for a lot of vegetables you say "but I only eat those on Tuesdays".

• BUT, you finally potty trained for daytime, yea!! You've kept all your Minnie Mouse panties dry for weeks, even in school. You looooooove pull ups, though, and beg to wear them (and usually need them) for nap and nights.  

• You still are in your crib... but Grammy and Gran Gran got you Wonder Woman sheets (as you requested), so your big girl bed is upon us.

• You still love your pacis!!!  We have talked (conspired?) about how we'd wean you off of them for a year now. Right now you promise to give them all to Baby Lily (McLeod), but when I mentioned taking them to her next Saturday you said "well...maybe on Sunday..."  This is not going to be an easy process.  (Especially since you have your "poop paci" - as you call it - which you must have to go #2.)

• On one hand you're pretty flexible, and lack of routine (or nap, or schedule) does not bother you one little bit.  But you are also so stubborn and are trying to assert your authority.  Take your morning milk (which, yes, we still warm). EVERY SINGLE DAY, you complain it's not hot enough and yell "I want it HOT".  So we scold you for yelling, make you say "please" and reheat it. Then you fall apart and say "AAAAH, it's too hot!!!! I need ice cube!!!"  Every. Single. Day. And every single day I threaten the whole house - even the boys - with cold milk from here on out. I can't take it anymore, Goldilocks!  

• You have started to tell me "I love you, Mom". (Yes, you call me Mom!) You'll repeat it and say "I love you SOOOOO MUCH". Doesn't matter how crazy you made me that day, you're the sweetest little girl and I am so, so thankful that God choose me to be your Mama.  

Happy Birthday to our Precious Daughter!!!