Violet at 31 Months

I've enjoyed writing monthly blog posts for each of my kids during their first three years of life and I've found as they approach their third birthday, their changes slow down and they have integrated themselves so completely into our lives that it's hard to come up with enough things to make a blog post about!  Based on the number of things I have for Violet's 31st blog post, my baby is growing up.  Probably the biggest change this past month, besides the fact that she seems so tall to me lately, and her hand in mine feels so much bigger, is that she is talking so very much.  Her chatter is non-stop and she is listening to what I am saying too, even when I'm not talking to her.  And her questions!  So many questions!  "Why did you say, 'oh no' mom?" Asked after I dropped something in the kitchen.   The other day Lucy and Emma got in trouble and I told them to take care of some things around the house which they weren't happy about and were exhausting me with their attitudes.  Violet then followed me into another room and asked, "Why you not talking to me mom, I not grumpy right now!  Lucy and Emma grumpy, but not me!"  Thank you for that Violet, thank you.

And probably the most telling story of how much Violet is talking and listening this past month happened when I was talking to Will on the phone, pulling into our driveway right before lunch.  I looked behind me and saw that Violet had fallen asleep so I mentioned to Will that I would probably leave her in the car to finish her nap while I made lunch and commissioned Lucy and Emma to play outside until she woke up.  Violet's little voice piped up from the backseat, "Why you leave me Mom?  Why you leave me in the car?  You hurt my heart!"  Of course this broke my heart and I immediately scooped her up out of her carseat and apologized while I brought her into the house.  Once inside, she told me, "My heart is broken now mom" in the saddest little voice.  Oh Violet, my heart too.  My heart too.

And since I am all chatted out thanks to Violet, I will leave you with these pictures...

...Violet proudly pushing a stroller and a baby doll while we browsed at our local Salvation Army where we spend our time while Lucy and Emma are at dance class...

 ...Violet enjoying my veggie soup to the last drop (and me thinking at least ONE of my kids eats the healthy food that I make)...

 ...and Violet playing with me, which entails her telling me exactly what to do and when to do it and sparing no words when I don't follow her directions as precisely as she wants.

Our little chatterbox is lucky she is cute!