Sydney ~ 3 Years Old

Sydney Alex Papp

3 Years Old

28 lbs (21%) and 35 inches (9%)

Our sweet girl turned three.  I have no idea where the time went, but it has been the most wonderful three years.  She has brought so much joy into our lives.  Not only joy, but laughter.  It might be possible that she's the funniest little three year old I know!

Sydney loves to be a helper in the house and can often be found sitting on the counter helping Mom with dinner.  She follows her sister around and loves to be at her side coloring, doing crafts, and playing games. Sydney's smile is contagious and there is something about her that I can't explain. All I can say is she is a magnificent little girl that holds a VERY special place in our hearts.

Sitting on the counter...helping with pizza.

 Giving us all a little lesson on something super important.

Playing games...always a blast.

Preschool is going very well for Sydney.  She is there 4 days a week, which is more than I'd like, but she does get to be there with Mommy.  She is very independent at school and although I'm there, she does her own thing.  Very rarely does she get clingy or "need" Mommy.  She loves to play with her friends in the dramatic play and block room.  She is learning lots about God and talks about how important he is.  She says all the time, "Jesus died and went on the cross so we can be married."  Not sure about that, but at least she knows he did something special for us!  She also does our family prayer at the dinner table, usually thanking God for our family and food.

First day of preschool (September 2013)

Sydney blows us away with her patience and willingness to wait her turn, share with her sister, and help others.  She truly is a caring little girl.  Not only is she patient, but she listens so well and does what she is asked.  Very rarely do we have to get on her about not listening or following directions, she's the first to do it!  She also is SO sweet.  She says I love you 10 times a day and loves to snuggle.  

Sisters...best of friends.

I think there's a lot going on inside her little mind.  You can just tell watching her that her wheels are turning all the time.  She is constantly asking questions, wanting to know more about things, and adding to discussions. She picks up on sarcasm and likes to make jokes, which is amazing for a three year old.  She does/can have an attitude.  Sydney defiantly knows what she wants and makes her feelings know if she doesn't get it.

 Sydney loves the park.

As far as her language development goes, I can't even begin to describe it.  She not only talks in phrases, but in LONG, developed sentences.  She speaks crystal clear and is so easy to understand.  She uses very large words and talks well beyond her years.

Here is a bit of what she knows:

• She can sing and say her ABC's
• She knows most of her letters and most of their sounds.
• She can count to 13.
• She knows all of her shapes: circle, square, star, heart, triangle
• She knows all of her colors.
• Uses fingers to show how many.
• Is doing simple math.  When asked how many there are when something has been taken away.
• Is beginning to color in the lines and choose different colors for different objects.

Here is what else she's been up to:

• TV-  She loves it.  Honestly, she could watch it all day long and be happy as a clam.
• Ipad-  It blows my mind what a 3 year old is able to do.  She can navigate it better than I can.
• Pup Pup-  Yes, he is still in the picture.  She sleeps with him every night.  If she doesn't have him it's not a huge deal, but if he's around it's a must.
• Gymnastics-  now that winter is coming she can hardly wait to get back into class.  She asks all the time when Mommy is going to sign her up!
• Food-  For as little as she is, you would think she's a picky eater.  She loves to eat and eats all day (asking for lots of snacks).  However, she does know when to quit.  She doesn't feel the need to finish everything (unlike her sister).  Her favorite food is pizza and mac and cheese.  She also loves broccoli and waffles.
• Painting-  She asks every day if she can paint.  Usually it only last for a few minutes, but she loves it.
• Singing-  If a song comes onto the radio, she sings it.  She knows many songs and sings right along.  At this age Hailey was singing simple nursery rhymes, but Sydney is singing  Call Me Maybe, Diamonds, Cups, Hey There Delilah, etc.

Other developmental stuff:

1.  As of her 3rd birthday, she has been potty trained for 8 months.  She has NEVER worn a pull up to bed and has NEVER we the bed.  Such a difference in kiddos.

2.  Sydney is very independent.  She helps herself and if you try and help her she says, "I can do it myself Mom, I'm not a baby."

3.  Gets herself dressed in both her daily clothes and her pajamas at night. Can also get her outdoor gear on: snow bibs, coat, hat, mittens, boots.  She does still need help zipping.

4.  She doesn't nap at home, but does ALWAYS nap the day she stays at school.  So, one day a week she gets a 2 hour nap.

5.  Sydney is an amazing sleeper.  She goes to bed well and sleeps through the night.  She doesn't get out of bed and sleeps until 7:30 or 8.

Happy 3rd birthday sweet girl.

Honestly, I could go on and on, but Sydney is hard one to describe.  Like I said above, she is just special and there are really no words.  If you know her, you know what I mean.  She is a bright little girl with a very bright future.  We love you Sydney.