Now she's three.

Mackenzie's birthday was November 1st, so I now have a three-year-old. A crazy, lovable, silly, talkative, stubborn three-year-old.

(On the slide at Chick-fil-a, my current favorite picture of her)

Last Monday on her birthday we went to Chick-fil-a for a birthday surprise lunch with some friends. She was so excited. This is about the best shot I could get of seven kids 4 and under sitting at at a round table.


Have I mentioned how much I love Chick-fil-a? And not only because they will bring me as many Dr Pepper refills as I'd like.


When Michael got home that afternoon Mackenzie got to open her presents. While she enjoyed opening them, it was nothing compared to Emma's excitement. Christmas should be interesting.

After dinner, we had brownies (courtesy of Lisa) with three candles in Mac's.

Sunday we had her party. It was a Toy Story/Dora/Diego/Scooby Doo/Princess party. Toy Story cake, plates and napkins, Dora tablecloth and streamers, Diego plates and napkins, Scooby Doo and Disney Princess decorations.

At three, Mackenzie is 36 inches tall (25%) and 30 pounds (50%). She refuses to be potty trained. She's capable, just would prefer not to. No more binkies (thanks to a visit from the binky fairy, more on that later). Loves to sleep in her bottom bunk. While she hasn't been regularly napping since the spring, she will still go upstairs and lay down in bed if she's tired. The girl loves to sleep. She loves her monkey and blankies. I have to limit her to two yogurts a day. She loves mac and cheese, grilled cheese, yogurt, honey nut cheerios, fruit. We made a lot of improvement this summer in what she eats. She'll now eat most veggies and most meats, when before she wouldn't eat anything but chicken nuggets for meat and the basic veggies. Not to say she won't put up a fight if there's something she doesn't want to try, but for three, she does very well. Except peanut butter. She refuses to try it.

She still does her "like this" thing when describing stuff. Calls granola bars granilla bars. She will scream no when there's something she really doesn't like/doesn't want to do. Will still lay on the floor when she's mad or frustrated. Did I mention stubborn? But she often will easily give something to her sister if she wants it, she shares easily and is so giving and loving.

She has lately been saying"da!" "ba ba!" when pointing out things/wanting things because she can and it's funny. You have to hear her say it to get it. Today she said "Sha-la. Sha-la" while wiping up water she spilled. When I asked her what it meant, she matter-of-factly said, "When you want to get a thing, then get a thing." Well, that clears it up.

She rides a two-wheeler, can pump her legs on the swing (no more pushing!) as well as Emma, and takes a shower more than a bath. Although to be honest, she'd prefer a bath. She'll start swimming lessons this winter and (hopefully) ballet in the spring. She's becoming her own person, which means more fighting between the girls as Mackenzie starts to speak her mind and have her own opinions. She is really in to books, and will disappear in to her room to read for long stretches of time. She also wants us to read to her all the time and will read aloud to us. She can now go to the Eagle's Nest at the grocery store and finds this extremely exciting. She's starting to get opinionated about her clothes, which I don't find exciting. She's in Sunday School at church.

She loves to snuggle, loves to play, loves her family and friends. She's beautiful, smart, and just simply amazing.