Olivia Update

Since my big girl’s half birthday has come and gone, I thought it was a great time to do an Olivia update. She’s turning into the most fun, sweetest, craziest, most adventurous little girl, and I cannot believe she was ever a baby. She also makes Emma seem even more like a baby so I’m just soaking up this stage and loving every minute of it.

She is a rule challenger and rule follower at the same time. She asks a lot of ‘why’s and adamantly tells me how she doesn’t want to go to bed. Every.Single.Night. But she doesn’t like getting in trouble and will usually do what we ask of her, once fully understanding the consequences and trade-offs. We can usually count on her to do what she’s told. And to make sure Emma is following the rules too!

 She is always up for an adventure! She asked when we could go on an airplane again. If we could go to the snow house (Colorado) in the summer, to see what it would be like without snow. Can’t wait until our August beach vacation. Always wants to go to the lake house. Up for all kinds of new restaurants, breweries, playgrounds, etc. I asked her if she wanted to go to a Bagel place. Without hesitation she goes “Yes!” And I asked if she knew what a bagel was (we don’t eat much bread) she goes “Nope!” Not even knowing it was food, she was down. 

She’s always been shy, but her teachers are teaching her to stand up for herself. Instead of being sad when kids mistreat her toys or her, she (per guidance of her teachers) stomps her foot down and says “I don’t yike dat!” It makes me so proud. One child was hitting at her and spitting in her face constantly. She told that little girl “I don’t want to play with you anymore when you treat me like that.” She followed through with it! It took a few times on and off, and that child might still spit at others, but she treats Olivia well. ;) (And her mom might have been mad at both me and Olivia for her “harsh words”, but that’s a whole other story – goodness!)

She has a heart of gold! On Easter, we had so much candy, Olivia said, “we should give some to people who don’t have any candy.” We’ve been trying to include her in charity type things. Dan and I spent a Saturday running all over Charlotte to pick-up clothes and household items to deliver to a family who’s house burned down. Olivia said “like the house that burned down, they probably don’t have any candy.” I love her!

She is so sweet to Emma, and I can always count on her to help me keep an eye on her. She makes sure Emma stays out of trouble and out of danger. She always shares food and toys with her. She made Dan move her carseat so she could sit right next to Emma. She likes feeding her her bottle, teaching her things, and always calls her “boopers” “booper scooper” or “boop scoops” and squeezes her cheeks like an old lady. She loves playing with her baby sister. And Emma wants to be just like her and do everything she does. Olivia always knows what Emma is saying – even though we don’t have a clue!

A friend nearby is an only child and Olivia said “I feel so bad for {friend}, he doesn’t have a baby Emma, he has to play all by himself.” (Melt. My. Heart.) And then she followed it up with, “actually he isn’t alone, he has me!”

She made her own lunch all year. She first chose candy and cookies, and after a few days of vetos, she started picking only healthy choices. One day she didn’t want to make it and I said “well, I guess you don’t need to eat lunch tomorrow at school.” She said, “mommy, but I be so hungee.” “Well this is your choice.” And she never refused again. She also folds and puts away her own laundry (which is my least favorite part of laundry). And she recently started packing herself for trips, without me even supervising. She doesn’t forget a thing! There’s no telling what she’ll wear, but she loves doing it all by herself.

She loves to help cook dinner, cracks eggs, and even sautéed the vegetables this week!

We treat her like she’s 8 or 9 and expect so much out of her. Sometimes it isn’t fair. She’s only 3 years old. But she’s so responsible and helpful that I forget she’s still just a toddler.

She mis-pronounces very few things right now, which makes me sad. Long gone are the days of “big wah wah” (ocean) and “huggle.” But she does say “windshield swipers” and “pokie posie” (ring around the rosie, but she clearly gets it confused with the hokey pokey). Shes calls newborn babies “born babies” and says her baby is “really born” which actually drives me nuts. So I’m sure she’ll say that until she’s 17.

Wet hair curls

I just look at her and am in awe of the sweet, responsible, good little girl she’s becoming. I hope we are teaching her that nothing in life is free, it has to be worked for. That we are lucky and to always lend a hand to those who aren’t in the same boat. To understand rules and consequences and the impact of her decisions, yet challenge those that seem unfair. To stand up for what she believes in and what is right. To teach people how to treat her. And that family is the most important thing in the world.