Highlights of 3 year old Matisyn

• Loves princesses, especially Belle, Cinderella, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White
• Likes to dress up, wear jewelry and crowns, put on makeup like Mommy, and wave a wand around and cast spells on pretty much everything
  
• Also loves jumping, trains, and swinging (you can't push her high enough)
  
• Would stay in the bath for hours if we let her, it has happened and we have to reheat the water, she splashes a lot
• Loves swimming and water in general
• Hates to have her hair brushed, so I keep it short, but it is adorable
  
• Wants to do things by herself, including getting dressed, washing her hair, buckling her carseat, brushing her teeth, etc. Everything is a process to get done, but she is happy if she gets to do it.
• Pretty much refuses to potty train, she loves her princess panties, but is also just fine with her pink pull-ups or diapers and has figured out that wearing them makes it so that she doesn't have to slow down her playing, plus it is one more thing she can assert her control over! I've decided not to push it with the new baby coming, so much for spacing my kids three years apart and not having two in diapers! She has gone in the potty, and talks about it all the time, she just hasn't decided to make it happen yet. I think I missed the window of real interest when she was 2 1/2 and we were awaiting surgery for her bladder reflux. Well . . . someday it will happen!
• Loves to wear pajamas and would wear them everywhere if we let her
• Best friends are Mason, Izzy, Maili, and cousin David, but loves to play with all kids, and often introduces herself to kids she just meets, often makes lists aloud of the people she loves, it's a long list!
• Loves visiting California, and talks about Grandma and Uncle Chunk as one. . . she still asks about where their dog Daisy went
• Won't forgive my mom and me for missing the teacups at Disneyland, and can't wait to go on the spinner cups with her Daddy and Papa who have both promised to fix the situation.
  
• Has an amazing memory, and remembers specifics about our vacations, things that were said, etc. Keeps asking to swim in Grandma and Papa's pool from last summer, and to play with Kate and Jens whom she only sees when we visit California
• Great imagination and loves to pretend
  
• Can't get enough of her blankie and binky, I'm not seeing us getting rid of the binky anytime soon, but she really only needs it when she's sleepy, in the car, or watching shows
• Likes to get rubs from her silky edges of her blanket like I did when I was little
  
• Loves to watch shows, some favorites are Winnie the Pooh (Heffalump and Tigger), Cinderella, and Disneyland Sing Along Songs
• Loves treats, macaroni and cheese, berries, popscicles, hotdogs, "spicy drink" (sprite and rootbeer), quesadillas, crunchy cereal, and yogurt
  
• In the most recent months Matisyn has decided that eating meals is unnecessary, she would rather live on snacks and treats, and food has become a power struggle unless she is being offered one of the above foods! We often battle at dinner since usually we are having different things that she doesn't get to choose. She'll go to bed hungry and wake up starving and ready for her crunchy cereal!
• Stubborn, oppinionated, and wants to control everything. We try to give her choices, which helps a little, but really she just wants to be in charge. Timeouts have not been too successful, but we keep trying to get the upperhand. . . here's to hoping we can before this new baby comes next month!
• Throws dramatic tantrums if she doesn't get her way, she's pretty dramatic and precocious in general
  
• Loves animals and is sensitive and caring, will cry at shows or over situations where somebody or some animal is hurt or sad. ("Oh no, he lost his mommy", leads to tears.)
• Talks about her "brothers and sisters" all the time, which we've come to assume include her cousins and friends
• Very polite, almost always says please and thank you
  
• Has spent the last 7 months talking about how she has a baby in her tummy just like Mommy
  
• Loves going to nursery at church, but is a little crazy during Sacrament meeting
• Says her own prayers now, only when she is in the mood, always includes help me to be healthy and strong, and a list of people to bless
• Loves, loves, loves books, some of her favorites are Pinkalicious, Dog's Colorful Day, Fancy Nancy, Mouse Paint, and Green Eggs and Ham
• Also loves to have stories told to her, especially by Daddy, and can even make-up some pretty good ones herself
  
• Very favorite color is pink, says her room is pink even though it is green, we've tried to add as much pink as possible so she can say it is pink and green
• She can't wait to meet baby sister, she got mad when we suggested she feel baby sister kick through mommy's tummy, "It's not nice to kick, don't kick Mommy baby sister!" We painted baby's room purple so she says baby sister's favorite color is purple.
• Moved into a big girl bed a couple of weeks before her birthday, she is doing great with it and pretty much stays in it when she is supposed to. She has started waking up earlier though, more like 7 than her previous 9:00. I know I was lucky to have her sleep in like that, and to have her never really crawl out of her crib much. We kept her in as long as possible!
• Belly laughs outloud at funny scenes in her shows, or at things she does, or when other people are laughing even if she doesn't know what they are laughing about. She makes us laugh all the time, and says, "I cracking you up mommy!"
• Loves to sing and listen to music, she is big on Christmas music, and would listen to it all year, all the time if allowed. Her favorite songs right now are I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas, Jingle Bells, Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash, random I know!), Hey Daddy (Anne Murray) She also makes up her own songs, and goes around singing and making up sounds.
• Takes dance lessons once a week, and spends much of her time at home dancing around and showing off her moves!
• Packs her little backpacks or purses and says goodbye to us because she is leaving, usually her destinations are school or Disneyland (even before we took our trip)!
  
• Mommy's girl and usually wants Mommy to do everything, but spends the whole day when Daddy is at work talking about how much she misses Daddy and wants him to come home
• Very social little girl, loves people, running errands (even though she isn't always good!), playing at the park, and being around lots of action
• Nightly ritual of saying "Hey Matisyn, guess what? You're beautiful" (It used to include all different adjectives, but now if we use any other compliment she insists she is not that, she is beautiful! She then responds by saying "Hey Daddy, guess what? You're handsome." or "Hey Mommy, guess what? You're beautiful" She smiles so big like it's a surprise everytime.

Favorite Quotes:

• Oopsie Daisy
• Oh Dear
• If I can't do this, then I won't do this
• I miss my brothers and sisters
• Sure, sure, sure
• I not fantastic, I beautiful
• Tee dum, tee dee, teedle dee dum tee dee
• Bippity, boppity, boo
• You share with me, Mommy
  
• I just a girl
• Maybe that make me feel better (usually referring to a treat!)