My 3 year old

I was just looking over past blog posts and was filled with so many good memories of Mackenzie when she was a baby. Looking back, it's amazing how much of her personality is the same as it was 2 1/2 years ago. She has always been so full of spunk and crazy energy, unwilling to cuddle, independent, and a true daddy's girl. She's also remained a joy in our lives. The ages of 2-3 can be so hard but they are also very entertaining. A few of her latest antics:

* She takes advantage of my inability to properly discipline her while I'm nursing. She will ask me to do something and before I can answer she'll say " No, no I do it by myself." (she usually puts her hand out dramatically in a stop sign, then pulls it to her chest as she says "herself") And then she'll go get her stool and help herself to something in the fridge, pantry, my bedroom, ect.

* I left the room a few weeks ago in the morning to grab something. When I came into the kitchen, Mackenzie was eating a cupcake (9 AM) and said "I eat a cupcake. Mom said no. Muah haha" you know the count dracula laugh-she's totally got it down and sometimes I have to try really hard not to laugh.

*Potty training has gone amazingly well. A couple weeks ago I bought a big box of princess pull ups at Costco for night time. She pulled one out of the box and hugged it to her and was overcome with joy. She said "Princess underwear, I love them SO much!" and didn't want to take them off ever! Naturally, I had to buy her some daytime princess underwear which she decided she couldn't take off at night and I told her she could only wear them if she didn't pee in them. That was a week and a half ago and no accidents yet! That doesn't mean we're clear of bathroom incidents yet though...

*Last night she kept getting up to use the bathroom. Her bedroom is right next to her bathroom so I just kept hearing the doors open and close. Finally I went in to check things out and was horrified to find that she had pooped and proceeded to dip toilet paper into the nasty water, squeeze them out, then throw them away. Not sure what she was trying to accomplish but I was a little upset to have to bathe her and completely sanitize the bathroom and her bedroom at 10 PM.

*On Sunday, she was washing her hands in the bathroom by herself when I heard, "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! What to do? Water everywhere, oh my gosh!" I then heard her muttering to herself and repeating the previous phrase. I didn't want to go in yet it was so funny to listen to her panicking. Finally she says, "Mom! Natalie! I need help, I spilled water everywhere." I went to go see the damage and she had spilled a bit on the carpet and the floor but she had mostly mopped it up.

*She calls me Natalie, especially when she wants me to listen. She tends to just yell "Keith" when she needs him in the exact way I do everytime he frustrates me or I want him to really pay attention.