Happy New Year!

 I rang in the new year (well ok we were all sleeping by the time it was the new year) with my two pals Nolan and Logan this year.  Aren't we festive!  I'll tell you all about my New Years extravaganza in a bit but first things first..some housekeeping issues.

 This is me at school when they celebrated my birthday.  These pictures were on Mommy's phone and she sort of forgot about them.  I got a special birthday crown, got to put felt cake and candles on the board and everyone sang happy birthday.  I even got a special sticker.  It was great!

 One night I was stalling going to bed.  I crawled up with my snowmen friends and said, "Take my picture!"  Since I was so willing to sit and smile, Mommy obliged.  And then I still had to go to bed.

 This is a picture of my dollhouse that is now fully furnished.  I don't think I remembered to post these around my birthday.  I have been having lots of fun with this (Mommy too!).  All the pieces actually "work".  The toilet flushes, washing machine makes noise, the fireplace turns "on", etc etc.  It takes 19 AA batteries!

 Alright onto new information!  I got to go to my very first movie at the movie theater over Christmas break.  We tried to go see the Muppets but unfortunately it was sold out. My parents never thought this was going to be an issue since the movie has been out for well over a month.  But they put it in their smallest theater so it filled up quickly.  So instead of the Muppets we saw Alvin and the Chipmunks "Chipwrecked".  I was super excited about getting popcorn.  I ate a lot.  I started getting pretty antsy through the previews but once the movie started I was really good.  My parents thought it was really ridiculous that there was a half hour of previews for a kid  movie.  Also, several of the previews had scary things which seemed unnecessary for little kids.  Luckily I got past the scary stuff and enjoyed the rest of my time at the movies.

 After the movie we went to Dairy Queen.  Daddy wanted a peppermint blizzard before the month was over (it was the flavor of the month).  I noticed some girls at the next table had a vanilla cone and a little dish of sprinkles that they were dipping their cone into so I decided that is what I wanted too.  Nothing like a little peer influence.

 The dipping was fun but very messy.  Most importantly
 it was deeeeeeeelicious! 

 On Saturday we headed to Duluth for our water park weekend with the Andresens.  Us kids really got in the spirit of New Years with our hats.  We all went to get some exercise running through the hallways before it was time to go to bed.

 See my enthusiasm?  It may not show in this picture but I loved my Happy New Year crown.  Loved it loved it!  Wore it so much that it broke. 

 Mommy and I checking out the view.

 The view!  I love water parks!!

 We hit the gym before going back for bed. 

 Us kids had a sleepover in the Andresens room and then when our parents were ready for bed, Mommy just picked me up and moved me to our room next door.  It worked great.  I didn't even wake up. 

 After a night of rest it was time for MOOOORRE water park! 



This pool was awesome!  It was called the vortex and it made you swim in a circle! 

 The yellow slide was my favorite!  I made sure to watch out for the bucket, and then would go down the slide. 

 Time to take a little break!

 Resting with my new computer I got from Great Aunt Judy and Uncle Dave.

 In the afternoon we headed to the Superior Aquarium.  I was really impressed by the big globe!  I didn't really care to check out the location of anything, it was just fun to spin!

 Checking out the wildlife.  Don't worry, he wasn't real.

 I got to drive a barge.  It's not every day that you can say that!

 They had a model of the Great lakes and the locks and dams used to get ships all the way to the Atlantic ocean.  This was really fun and I got super wet!

 A fun tree house!

 Time for a little Lake Superior fishing!

 I stood in front of a green screen.  On the TV I looked like I was in the valley.

 And then I got to go to Times Square!

 After the aquarium it was time for more water park and then a trip to Perkins for supper.  The Andresen boys got Mickey Mouse chocolate chip pancakes.  I got the rainbow sprinkles pancakes.  That meant I got whipped cream and sprinkles to put on my pancakes.  Again, messy but delicious!

 After all of the excitement of the day it was time to settle in for bed.  Nolan was nice enough to read me a story about tractors.  I learned so much.

 More tractor reading.  Nothing beats a couple three year olds in their footie pj's reading a tractor book together. 

 Breakfast in our room on our last morning.  We had a beautiful view of Lake Superior from our room.  It was a picturesque morning. 

 At dance on Monday we got to try on our costumes!  These were just samples so we didn't get to take them home yet.  We just had to check sizes.   I was so excited to show my Mommy my pretty costume.  Mommy was THRILLED that it was pink and frilly and sparkly.  The red is just my regular dance leotard.  They put the sample costume on top of my leotard. 

 On Tuesday it was time for a trip to the dentist!  I got these cool shades to wear and a little bib. 

I did really well at the dentist.  They ended up not cleaning my teeth this time since I just turned 3 and my teeth didn't have plaque.  He said there was no reason to traumatize me at this point.  He said by 3.5 I'll be fine with the teeth cleaning.  He said to keep up my good brushing.  I'm still missing my "2 year molars".  The dentist said I will lose my teeth late, and get my permanent teeth in late too but it's ok.  He said he'd rather people didn't get their permanent teeth until they are 20 and are responsible enough to take good care of them.  He may get his wish with me!  :)

What else is new with me?

• One day last week we went to get the car washed.  I don't particularly like the car wash but after it's over I go on and on about how much fun it was, etc etc.  One day Mommy asked me what I like.  I said I liked the car wash.  Mommy asked what else I like.  I said "Santa".   What else?  "Water parks--the bucket!"  Other than Santa and the water park, pretty much everything else wasn't true. 
• We stopped at Wendy's on our way home from Duluth.  Mommy had been drinking a diet pop in the car so she didn't order anything to drink in the restaurant.  When we were sitting down to eat I noticed that Mommy didn't have a drink.  I said, "Mommy where's your drink?"  Mommy said, "I don't have one"  I put my arm around Mommy and said, "Don't worry Mommy, we'll find you a drink." 
• When I need some help with something I now say, "I need some really nice help!"  or "I need some very nice help!"  Mommy thought this was funny/weird and then realized this was probably coming from all the times that I need help and Mommy tells me to "ask nicely". 
• My new favorite conversation to have is, "What's your favorite part...."   It's less about saying what your "favorite" thing or part of the day was, more about recapping everything that has happened.  For instance, when we were driving home I kept asking, "What's your favorite at the water park?" and we would all say our favorite things.  Sometimes I'd chime in with "I like that too".  At the end of every Dora episode she asks everyone what their favorite part of the adventure was.  Anyway, this conversation goes on a long time until someone can distract me with something else.