My very vocal three year old.

Olivia has been pretty vocal since she figured out this whole talking thing. I think it's because I have a lot to learn and toddlers can be great teachers. Is she still a toddler? I guess not. Anyhoo - recently she's said somethings that have changed some things I do. 

For example, "Mom can you please watch this show with me, and not do anything else?" What a sweet simple request. I realized almost every time she was watching a show I was looking at my phone, on the computer, folding laundry, putting away dishes, etc. So now I am trying to just sit with her and not do anything else.

Then today she got really mad at Abigail because Abigail kept stealing her toys in the bathtub. She had asked nicely for her toys back. She screamed for her toys back. And then she bit Abigail's hand! I couldn't believe it. She hasn't done something like that in a very long time. So out of the tub they went. She was hysterical. Olivia HATES when she knows she did something wrong. She cried so much and so hard she made herself throw up. After she calmed down we were talking and she told me, "Mom, I don't know why, I was just so mad that Abigail took my boat, my brain told me to bite her. My brain just told me. I can't control my brain!" And at age 3 she's probably right. It's awfully hard to figure out how to control these bodies, I'm still working on mine! But we talked a bit about not always doing what our brain tells us to do. I was really impressed with how well she was able to express what she was feeling. 

And then sometimes she's just incredibly sweet. For instance...

Today she picked a flower and said it was for daddy.  While we were driving home she said it wasn't for Daddy it was for someone driving a car. Someone who's the best cook in the whole wide world. It honestly took me a minute to realize she was talking about me! It made me laugh.

Then tonight when we said goodnight she said she loved me, more than ice cream with sprinkles, and chocolate syrup... and whip cream... and a cherry on top... and...and ...and... And I know she was just stalling bedtime but it was still super sweet. Almost makes me forget the self induced puking that happened just moments earlier.