Last updated on November 19th, 2023 at 12:32 am
In a few weeks, Missy Moo will be turning three years old. How did months become years? I swear, she was just brought home from the hospital, already a toddler. It’s hard to remember those early days when she was only inches long snuggled up in my arms. With a brother close in age, I don’t think she really got to be a baby for long. It seems to fly by and she can walk and talk and I feel like I can’t remember a time when she wasn’t here with us.
As I prepare for her to turn another year old, another year closer to going to school and joining her brother at the school gates, I am taking time to soak it in. If she wants me to play in her toy kitchen with her randomly during the day, I stop the laundry and dishes to do so. If she wants a story read to her after lunch and a cuddle before her nap I put aside my work until after she is asleep. I sit and listen to her more trying to remember her squeaky little girl voice and the funny things she says to me. I hope all these little details stay with me forever as she continues to grow up and change.
The more I think about when I was little, the more I think she is just like me. She has the same favorites, the same passions, the same personality and the same dislikes and love that I did at her age. (I have been told a few). Already, she loves cheese, isn’t that keen on milk, is a total bookworm and wants to collect as many stuffed animals she possibly can. I actually remember hating milk, only ever wanting to eat cheese and well, my collection of books and stuffed animals by the time I was moving out of my parents house was extensive. We seem to be so alike in so many ways. It’s like watching me grow up again from an outside perspective yet she is her own person.
We normally have a double birthday for the kids in America because we spend our summers there however this year with B in school until the end of July, MM will now have her birthday in the UK while B still will have his in the US. It’s the first year she has friends to call her own. Friends she has made in swimming, gymnastic, nursery and music classes. Friends that are hers by choice and not because they are B’s friend’s little siblings. I can’t wait to gather them together for a little celebration, the first celebration of her very own.
I love that she is like me and we can cuddle up in her pile of her stuffed animals or read our favorite books together knowing she is loving it as much as I am. It’s great that we are a whole family of bookworms so reading and updating our bookshelf is a common thing to do in our house. 
Recently, I updated our bookshelf with 10 books for £10 from The Works – SCORE! I have my eye on a few games and craft projects from there as well that we can work on together on while B is at school. It was amazing how many books they had in the offer that we didn’t have yet because that’s really hard to do. I think she is probably due for one or two soft cuddly toys from Jellycat too. I am not sure if it’s more my love for them or hers but they are so adorable. We even had her favorite Jellycat Darcy Duck toy hand drawn for her, last year, and framed on her wall. She absolutely loved it. We don’t go big on birthday presents and half the time it’s clothes they need or books that we don’t wrap and read long before their birthday arrives.
She never asks for much in terms of presents or even on a normal day. She isn’t the child that begs for a piece of chocolate or new toy at the grocery store checkout. She isn’t the type that throws tantrums for a treat instead of her lunch. She has just always been calm and easy going one that’s loud when she wants to giggle or play with her brother outside. I know there is still plenty of time at three years old to turn that around but so far I have felt so lucky having it smooth sailing. I won’t say, easy, no parenting isn’t easy but smooth seems fair to describe my baby journey and toddler journey with her.
We spend our days out on various adventures but when we are home together we sit and read her books to each other, to her stuffed animals, to any imaginary friends that may be joining us that day too. Reading is our thing. She lines a few up on the mini desk she has in the order she wants me to read them to her. I hope she grows up having a passion to read like I did and do. I always had a book in my hand growing up. I also hope most importantly that she remembers all the reading nooks we have created and all the stories I have read to her or at least the process of reading to her. I hope she looks back and has great memories of our special time together at home before she went off to school. I made the most of the year before B started school which was important to me and it made it slightly easier to let him go on that first day of school.
Do you think kids can remember that early in their life? I sure hope so. They are such fond memories to recall. I really wish this period in our life right now, would freeze just for a moment to really enjoy it to it’s fullest before it moves on to the next big milestone. Until then I will soak up my one on one time with my littlest baby, my last baby as much as possible.
*collaboration
I think kids can remember that far back – my earliest memory is going to meet my new sister in hospital and I was only 2 1/2 – hopefully all our little ones will have lots of happy memories of the ordinary days too (with lots of books and stuffies 🙂 )
These photos of the 2 of you are just too precious. She has grown so much, Jenny! I can’t believe is is going to be 3. She’ll be in the same year group as my little Jumpy when it’s time for Reception. If she’s a little bookworm, she’d love The Book With No Pictures. I bought it yesterday for my little ones and it’s been a huge hit here. Lovely to see you today x
Gorgeous photos, Xander is just like me in looks, Oliver in personality. I love seeing traits in my kids although some are negative too-like Oliver is such a perfectionist and I want him to be kind to himself! Each year my kids get older, I get broodier! x
I think I am the same definitely the older they get the more I get broody. I am dying for another now though too. lol It’s never ending wanting a big family like I had growing up. Thanks for your lovely compliments. Lovely to see you stop by darling I know you are busy. It’s great finding traits in each of our children that we have in ourselves isn’t it? My two are definitely a good mix of me and my hubby.