June's 3rd Birthday (2012)

Well, June, I apologize for not getting to this post sooner, because I'm sure if I had I would have more specific details to record about all the things you did and said between age 2 and 3.  As two year olds go, you really were a delightful one.  You were always eager to give an aggressive, forceful, full body hug to any adult willing to give you the time of day.  You sure knew how to win people over.  Perhaps the addition of your little brother just 11 days before your second birthday had something to do with how crazy independent you became at such a young age.  Of course, I'm writing this less than two weeks away from your fourth birthday, but your independence is something friends and teachers have been commenting on for years now.  Everything from dressing, to potty training, to I don't know, just figuring things out for yourself whenever you can.  As is tradition in our house, I gave you a choice of what you wanted your 3rd birthday cake to have on it.  You came up with, "a rainbow cake with vanilla frosting, with Hello Kitty on the top and Big Bear on the side".  (Big Bear being the largest stuffed animal that, amongst others, you sleep with every night.)  My first attempt at the cake was a total bust and came out looking more like a stack of flat, yet colorful, pancakes.  But we forged on, and the second try was a charm.  A very, very, very TALL success of a cake.  I guess we must've done something right, because so far you've been asking for the same cake for your 4th birthday ever since your 3rd birthday ended.  (There's still time to change your mind!)  You may notice that we forgot to dial the fire starter thingie back from "blow torch" level, hence your look of abject terror in some of these pictures.  Oops, sorry sweetie.  You and Georgia took the liberty of wrapping up some existing items that we already owned and giving them to each other as presents for your birthdays, and I love how excited and surprised you looked to receive these things.  There is no greater joy than the joy you spread to all of us, June.

Here you are a few days prior to your birthday, heading off to Summer Madness, a little in-home "camp" at your preschool teacher's house, where you were the youngest one there but held your own with no problem. (Without your sister, I might add. We all reach these milestones at our own pace.) ; ) Ms. Linda was nice enough to let you celebrate with your class, since you may never get the chance to do so at school.


Cake failure.


Okay, I don't mean to brag, but um, yeah, actually I do, because I don't think I can ever top this or probably even repeat it.


Yea, stuff you already have!


Magna-tiles because you are our little builder.


The pink car you asked for.


Inheriting the responsibility for Nana's ceramic childhood tea set.


Your love affair with "Dolly" continues to this day.  Her hair has never looked so good.


A signature Junebug hug for Aunt Sara.


(The family get together for all three kids' birthdays was on June's big day in 2012.)


Ahh, communal living. Taking over our neighbor's porch.

And then...the kids worked off their six layers of cake by trying out their new finger painting set.
Non-toxic I hope?


Well, whadda ya know? I WAS THERE!!!


Keep your hands where I can see them!


I guess it was a good celebration if it ended in the tub.

(So, I know no one has time for videos, but just in case, here's one of the candles fiasco, plus one for the ages wherein June tells me that she wants to be a biting spider when she grows up.)


June blowing out the candles on her 3rd birthday from Kate on Vimeo.

June's 3rd birthday interview part II from Kate on Vimeo.

I Am Middle Child, Hear Me Roar!

Have you heard?  Junie's regular speaking voice is a little loud.  Okay, a lot loud.  She knows no other volume it seems, unless we're in public and she becomes shy.  Perhaps our kitchen table is not the easiest place to get a word in edgewise, and she is overcompensating with additional decibels? 

Quote of the week:

Me:  "June, stop shouting!  We are all right here."

June:  "BUT, MOM!  I HAVE TO SHOUT, BECAUSE MY MOUTH IS FULL OF FOOD!"    

Here's a riddle for you.  What's black and white and stinkin' adorable all over?

June.

Could She Be Any Cuter?

I'm talking about June. That's an obnoxious blog post title, I know, but it is what Joe and I often find ourselves asking each other at the end of the day. June's terrible two's are not so terrible. I credit her a lot for making the transition from 2 kids to 3 much easier than our transition from 1 to 2 was. She is loud, and doesn't listen, and throws fits sometimes, sure. But it's all far outweighed by her sweetness. We catch her whispering softly to her babies and stuffed animals. She can be really stubborn, but she's also got a lot of go-with-the-flow in her, and a healthy dose of independence for a two year old. We're biased, but it's not just us noticing all this, because half the time when I pick her up from co-op the parent of the day tells me what a doll she is. She's shy when she meets new people, but attacks them with hugs once she has warmed up. A few weeks ago she and Waylon and I went for a walk to run an errand and go to the park, and she kept trying to pick up her shadow to put it in her pocket.





For Christmas June has asked only for "tree lights" because she loves all the ones in our house. She is all the sparkle and glow to me, though.

Stop, Drop, and Roll

A scene from fire safety day at Co-Op, which I pulled from Facebook.  This is classic June.  

Oh no, oh no, that's not what I meant!

Dear June,

Much to my shock and horror, an anonymous tipster alerted me to the fact that my prior post, with its several 1st baby to 3rd baby comparisons, appeared to overlook the existence of the 2nd baby.  AKA, you, the poor, pitiful forgotten middle child.  Oh no!  That's not what I meant.  Please don't take it that way.  It's just that as I have been soaking in the differences between having 3 kids and 2, so far most the most striking contrasts have been between this 1st to 3rd baby stuff.  If anything, as an infant you were treated more like a firstborn.  And right now, you're currently atop the leaderboard in the easiest child competition.  There - I did it - the blatant child to child comparison I'm never supposed to do.  I hope that makes it up to you.  And just for good measure, here's a gratuitous photo of you, my favorite at the moment.  (Favorite photo, that is, not favorite child.  Of course we have no favorites around here.)

Love,
Mommy

P.S.  Stay on the good side of your Aunt Beth.  She's always looking out for you.  



Photo credit: Elaine Melko

Two!

Happy (blog-belated) 2nd Birthday to our little Junie, the snuggliest, most kitty-loving, hug-giving, soft as the Pillsbury dough boy-est, self-soothing individual I know. I hope you never stop loving to lounge, snuggle, and relax as much as you do now.

Some of our favorite/your most common phrases:  "Watch this!", "Stop it, Georgia!", "What doing?", "Whyyyyy?", "I go with you?", and, "No space me!"  Also, I cannot get over the cuteness of hearing you say "underpants," very deliberately landing on each syllable.

You did seem Godzilla-like enormous as soon as we got home from the hospital with your brother, but you are still 100% our baby - don't ever let anybody tell you differently!   


Two!





A couple videos for posterity that I (and hopefully June) will enjoy seeing years from now but may not be interesting to anyone else:

Ring Around the Rosy


Birthday Interview Attempt 1


Birthday Interview Attempt 2

 

June as Dark Helmet

April 23, 2011.  Post-Run for the Cheetah brunch at Sara and Vake's.  Vake's motorcycle helmet.  (If the reference doesn't make sense to you, you might have to go rent Space Balls, I'm sorry to say.)