Is this 3?

We have several more weeks until Clementine turns three but we have seen another sudden change in her (just as we did about this time a year ago). I am constantly amazed at the person she is evolving into and always on my toes with these new firsts. I want to remember these Clementine-isms forever.

Clementine has started talking up a storm. It's constant chatter around our house. But now, instead of mostly babbling, her chats are mostly interpretable! She also gets stuck on repeat sometimes. Today she asked me "Baby Mumble Movie?" 37 times in less than a minute. She's not looking for a "Yes," response, she wants me to confirm message received by repeating "Baby Mumble Movie."

My FAVORITE Clem-ism is when she wants me to pick her up. At the top of the stairs and in parking lots she wiggles her fingers and says "I'll hold you." There is something so endearing about this phrase that I immediately have to respond yes--and I don't even mind lugging that 40 pound, long-legged girl on my hip. I'm reminded as her shoes dangle dangerously close to my knee-cap that carrying her on my hip won't last much longer.

She also likes to take charge. As soon as she wakes up in the morning she takes roll; "Daddy shower, Jack potty" she'll say, knowing this where our family members are first thing in the morning. She never hesitates to let me know when she's occupied, needing privacy. She sweetly chirps "GO AWAY!" while using the loo. Or "NO SINGING!" while she's playing or reading. "CLOSE YOUR EYES MAMA!" when we play nap--a long standing favorite pretend play.

We have always steered away from Princess paraphernalia with Clementine but last week at her school they studied Fairy Tales. Now dressing up as a faerie has no meaning to her. She declared this was a princess outfit and her whole being transformed as she put on her dress up clothes. She swayed, holding the hem of her faerie dress, put a headband on like a crown and declared herself Princess. She crooned in front of the mirror smiling like a cheese-ball and twirling. Cam and I just stared in slack-jawed amazement. Then we all got a turn wearing Princess crown.

While everyone knows my sister as Sissy, she has only ever been Nolan's Mommy to Clementine. She's called her this for months. Yesterday she saw a picture of Sissy and I on the fridge and said "Thitthy and mama are smilin'!"

I love this almost 3 year old. We can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Mt. Baker

Today we took a little drive up to Mt. Baker. Neither Cam nor Clem had been there before! It was quite the adventure!

We scoped out the side of the mountain and did a short little hike. We found pine cones to add to Clem's sensory bin and looked for signs of fall.
I was scoping out the flora and fauna. I thought this looked like a cozy little den! It's where I would want to burrow.
I don't know what this plant is called but I need it in my life.
The trails have lots of these stone steps. I'm fascinated because they are so even and so enormous. Whose job was it to put these there? That's some serious work.


Some nice ladies hiked right by us and took our picture on the little bridge. It's pretty rare we get a picture with all three of us in it!

And just like that....

...my baby is suddenly a little girl .

Berry Pickin

I'm on a Boat

Cam's folks brought their sailboat down from Alaska and took us out sailing a few weekends ago. This was Clementine's first time on a sailboat!

She wore her sailor outfit from my aunt Carolyn (thanks Carolyn!) and her new lifejacket.
She loved exploring the parts of the sailboat. She played with the steering
and then went below deck to check out all the nooks and crannies.
She made some important calls



and swabbed the deck.
We got to go out in the harbor for a short sail, but it didn't take long for Clementine to realize she was tethered to the boat by her life jacket. This, of course, crimped her style (her style is running, jumping, climbing, exploring, etc.) and she started to lose her marbles.
So, sure-footed grandpa took Clem on a walk (several, actually) around the boat. She got to explore everything there is to explore on their sailboat.

Entertaining Herself

This summer has been so much easier now that I can get my chores done while Clementine entertains herself for 10-15 minutes at a time.

Usually, she colors, blows bubbles on the back deck or will read a book but this girl also loves Post-It notes. She peels them gently one a time and sticks them on the wall, creating a picture or shape.

On this day, I was cleaning our bathroom, Clementine was playing quietly right outside the door in our bedroom. When I was finished, this is what I found.

She was playing quietly, creating her own masterpiece not with sticky notes, but with maxi-pads! An entire package of them had been unwrapped and stuck onto daddy's side of the bed!
She was so pleased with her masterpiece we left it up there until daddy got home!

Yee-Haw!

Last weekend the Farmer's Market in our town had pony rides and a jump-jump! I saw signs earlier in the week and knew we'd have to take our aspiring cowgirl!

She didn't care one bit about the jump-jump but she knew what to do on that pony!
She smiled and smiled the whole time.
She kept saying "YEE-Haw!" when the pony came by us.



She looks extra tiny in this shot!

She loved riding on that pony so much that when it was time to go, it absolutely crushed her. This girl is made for farm life!