3 1/2

Wednesday was Heidi's half birthday!  Due to all of our computer issues, I haven't been able to post until now...and it's going to be a slow process.  I can't believe she is halfway to being four!  What a delight my little Heidi is!  I cannot imagine life without her.

*Still my little fashionista.  She loves to shop and pick her clothes out everyday.  She pretends to shop in her closet and Savanna's closet quite often and loads the clothes up on her "motorcycle" (aka the rocking chair stool).  Maybe it's a good thing we don't live near too many stores!
*Loves to learn.  She will sit and listen and play all the little "games" I come up with to help her learn stuff like it's the best thing that ever happened to her.
*Heidi's memory amazes me.  I will read her a book one time and she will repeat it almost word for word later.  I am amazed at how she remembers names and places. I really notice it when she repeats things I didn't know she was listening to or things she heard months ago.

*Loves to read.  She loves to be read to and will never turn down a story.  She also loves to read to herself.  She will sit with a stack of books in her room reading to her animals forever!  I love listening to her "read".
*Loves to play doctor and watch Doc McStuffins.  She is allowed to watch one episode a day while Savanna takes a nap and it is the highlight of her morning.  She gets very creative when she plays.  Recently she created an x-ray machine and draws x-rays of her sick animals on her whiteboard.  When I saw her first x-ray I couldn't believe her drawing!  She had drawn the hip bones and everything.  It actually looked like an x-ray.  She insists she is going to be a vet when she grows up.
*Favorite day of the week if Monday--dance day.  She adores dance!  She is the cutest little dancer and has improved so much this year.  She asks all day Monday if it's time for dance yet.  She loved having her dad home last week to take her so he could see her moves.

*Most of the time she is a very sweet, protective big sister.  Sometimes she gets a little too bossy, but she loves having her little Savanna around and can't wait to share a room with her in the near future.
*While she is doing so much better leaving me for short periods of time, she is still a huge mama's girl...especially if she is tired or hungry.
*3 has definitely been a little more challenging than 2 as she is learning to be more independent!  When she is happy, not tired, and not hungry she will says the sweetest things.  "I'm so glad Heavenly Father sent me to this family."  "You're the sweetest, most beautiful mom ever!"  But then there will be moments when she says things like, "If you give me that medicine I will spit it on the floor."  We are working on taming the sassy.  Yikes.
*Loves to get herself dressed and undressed, comb her hair, buckle her carseat, etc.
*Heidi is the worst sick patient EVER!!  We never know how sick she really is because a slight hangnail will send her into hysterics.

*Loves to sing and her memory for songs is incredible.  She is often called to the front in primary to be the leader because she knows all the words.
*Still a big rule follower.  It shocks her if she thinks someone is being naughty and she talks about it for weeks.
*Anything new is still pretty traumatic.  She usually chooses not to participate in the little games they play during story time because she isn't sure what to expect.  She likes things predictable and she likes her routine.  She definitely does better trying new things when I am not around.  It drives me nuts!
*Loves primary and didn't shed one tear when she headed to Sunbeams.  I was shocked.  It helps that I am in there, but she goes to class fine and is probably the most reverent little Sunbeam I have ever seen...my little rule follower I guess.
*Heidi is so sweet and kind when she is with other kids.  She always comments on how cute they look and never seems to be involved in any little disagreements.  She is usually the one trying to make the situation better.  If she sees two kids fighting over something, she might say something like,"Here, Molly, you can just have my crayon.  I can get another one."  That's probably why all the kids fight over who gets to sit by Heidi.
*Still talking about Christmas and singing Christmas songs.  We are still listening to her Christmas CD in the car.  Rudolph and Up on the Housetop are her favorites.  If she thinks you are singing it wrong, she will say, "Here dad, let me teach you how it goes."

We love you, Heidi!

We are so excited for all the fun things you have to look forward to,

but it sure is hard watching you grow so dang fast!