PSYCHOLOGY (3 YRS)

S got 4 "grow" dinosaurs from Talia's birthday pinata. At bath time, Momma let S put one in the tub with her to watch it grow but said, "we should save the rest for another day." (4 -1 = 3 dinosaurs.)

The next morning, S asked daddy if she could put another dinosaur into a glass of water. Daddy said, "yes." (3 -1 = 2 dinosaurs).

S looked at the dinosaur in the glass and said, "it needs a friend." So, daddy agreed to add another dinosaur in the water. (2 -1 = 1 dinosaur).

Then S looked at the one dinsaur, out of the water, and said, "this one is lonely without his friends." So, third one went into the glass of water too.

When momma woke up, daddy said, "S out psychology-ied him."

GOOD WORDS (3 YRS OLD)

-- I have lots of friends!
-- We can wash it!
-- Daddy do it.
-- I can do it by myself.
-- You have to share me with daddy (speaking to momma).

NIGHT POTTYING (3 YRS)

Night potty training is getting easier. Often, when she has to wake up in the middle of the night, there's no screaming or crying. She often gets momma to go to the potty with her and then goes back to sleep. Of course, there's always an exception.

P.S. Since S has been sleeping on the floor (on Merv), momma and daddy have been emphasizing that they can't clean pee pee off of Merv.

MERV (3 YRS)

S has been sleeping on Merv for the past month (or two? more?). Merv is a sheep skin that momma and daddy bought from Costco when S was around 18 month old. The purchase was inspired by Mimi and Poppy's black sheep skin from their New Mexico trip.

Originally, S just wanted to sleep with momma on the floor. Overtime, S started refusing to sleep in her bed. Momma was laying out blankets on the floor for S because it got cold at night. Eventually, momma just started rolling out Merv and found it easier to do that than the blankets. Now, S sleeps on Merv....

Daddy says, "he likes Merv so much too that he thinks we should all ditch our beds and sleep on sheepskin (like they did during the Medieval age)." Momma admits Merv is pretty comfortable.

BEACH (3 YRS)

Daddy, momma and S went to Port Aransas this past weekend. S had a great time because ong ngoai and her cousins Matthew, Lillian and Sarai came too, along with her aunts and uncles. S spent the two days at the beach or playing with her cousins. S was afraid of the water at first, after a wave hit her and knocked her down. But, little by little, she became more comfortable, jumping the waves and riding on daddy's back or shoulders.

Daddy, momma, and S had such a fun time that momma wants to do this again next year!

P.S. Daddy, momma, and S stopped by Mac Allen, Texas on Sunday to visit momma's college friend Juan, his partner Adrien, and their daughter Daniela and son Joaquin. S had a good time playing with the kiddos and making new friends.

IT'S GONNA BE OK (3 YRS OLD)

When something breaks, or when momma is upset, or when something spills... S says, "It's gonna be okay." Or, "We can wash it out." Or, "Maybe, daddy can fix it." Momma thinks maybe she's doing a good job after all. S won't be as much as a perfectionist as she is.

WONDER PETS, WONDER PETS (3 YRS OLD)

S's favorite show for the past two or three months has been Wonder Pets. She walks arond the house singing, "What's it gonna take? Teamwork!" and often, insists on helping momma carrying thing and telling it that it takes teamwork to do it.

Recently, she was drawing on a back of a paper plate(to make tamborines). She drew the first recognizable picture: wonderpet W. When momma asked what it was, S responded with "W on the Wonderpet cape." Daddy immediately guessed it correctly.

Hmmm, she must be a big fan!

SHE SAID ... (3 YRS OLD)

...When daddy asked S, "what does momma look like?" S responded with, "she has long, brown, crazy hair."

...After three days of constipation, S finally relieved herself. In the car ride home, S said, "It was a big poo poo, but not as big as the other one (referring to deposit after her five days of constipation.)"

...Momma and daddy had a fight previously. When S wanted momma to tell daddy that some of the sippy cups spouts didn't work, she started, "Don't fight. Just help daddy."

...Momma often hears, "I want some privacy" when S is in the potty now. Often, it is followed by S closing the door.

...When S wants something, particularly treats, S says, "momma, I want some candy. I'm special." Or, "It's a special day."

DOG PADDLING (3 YRS)

S started comfortably swimming, a.k.a. dog padding, from the stairs to momma this Wednesday. Perhaps, it was because Aunt Fiona and Miss Kristy were also there to cheer her on.

S has become so enthusiastic about swimming that she often asks to swim without her noodle. She will swim about half the length of Dick Nichols pool without any problems to daddy. She is also starting to float for a couple of seconds on her back too. These are all huge steps and it just seemed to happen. Something clicked for her after the swimming class.

Maybe, there's hope that she will wear goggles this summer and feel more comfortable about putting her head in the water.

NOODLE SWIMMING (3 YRS OLD)

Daddy, momma and S have gone a couple of times to Dick Nichols pool to show off to daddy S swimming prowress. S "loves" swimming with the noodle, either having it on her tummy or riding it like a horse. She's become adept and moving it to different positions in the water, including jumping to it from the side of the pool. S discovered the noodle thanks to Coach Jose from the Angel Fish swim class.

Daddy was impressed by her ability to swim on the noodle. He also convinced her to do a couple of strokes to him from the stairs.

P.S. S also discovered she can tip-toe in the three feet section so maybe her confidence will improve in the water.

note: originally written on July 6 but posted under July 2

MATTHEW'S BIRTHDAY (3 YRS OLD)

Daddy, momma and S went to Houston to celebrate cousin Matthew 7th birthday over July 4th weekend. Matthew was pleased for the surprised birthday party on Saturday even though S told him about it before the actual surprise. On Sunday, S ran around the sprinklers at Discovery Green with cousin Sarai.

S had a blast playing with all her cousins (Matthew, Lillian, Sarai, and Bo Bo), Om Ngoai, Aunt Phu and Uncle Joe, and her (new) Aunt Khue (Bo Bo's mom) and Uncle Dung. Her favorite activity was probably having om ngoai blow up the balloons for her to toss around, but she would probably say it was the ice cream and oreo cookies.

note: written originally on July 6 but it was posted under July 2

ANGELFISH #8

S made it to the last day of swim class! She did great floating on her back with Coach Jose, swimming with the noodle and swimming in a life vest. She was very pleased to get the certificate and badge.

When asked if she wanted to do anymore swim class, she answered "no." Momma's not sure what to make of this since she had already signed S up for another swim class, hopefully with her friend Talia. Maybe, she'll change her mind since there's another couple of weeks to go before it happens.

PINATA (3 YRS OLD)

Yesterday was a rainy day so both momma and S were trapped inside until the late afternoon. S started pretending the vacuum cleaner handle was a pinata and hit it with a roll of wrapping paper. Going on this idea, momma took a balloon and hung it up over the doorway. S entertained herself for a long time hitting the balloon/pinata. What momma will do on a rainy day to entertain S!

ANGELFISH #7

S didn't want to go to swim class this morning, eventhough she made a card for Coach Jose. Under the urging of momma S showed up and then hopped in the water without any issues. But, at the last five minutes of class, S hopped out and said she didn't want to do it anymore.

Coach Jose tried to entice her but it cause her to cry and scream momma when he gently pulled her in the water for a ride. Momma's not sure why S has decided to call it quits, but she's done! Last class is tomorrow.

P.S. Angelfish #6 was rained out.