Mara - 2 1/2 years old

Our Sister Bear is 2 1/2 and on her way to turning 3! 

What I love most about Mara is her personality.  She's spunky and full of life.  She's constantly busy, and needs to be kept constantly busy.  It's a tough job most days, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.  She definitely loves a schedule and routine.  And if her schedule gets changed, she's not always so happy about it. 

She is becoming much more independent.  She gets very upset if I try to help her put her clothes on.  "Do it self!"  In the last month, she has started to string more words together.  Although she's still very good at getting across anything she needs to using one word sentences.  Her latest phrase is: "Love you more, again!"  Not exactly sure what that means, but she thinks she wins our "Love you more" contest when she says that. 

Mara loves food; she eats just about anything.  She frequently asks for seconds, and she always saves room for dessert. 

Mara used to be the best sleeper.  It wasn't normal.  Sometimes she would ask to go to bed.  She never cried or got upset before naps or bedtime.  She never got out of her bed.  She never woke in the night.  We knew it wouldn't last forever.  And it didn't.  The last couple of months have been quite the opposite.  Sometimes she's up several times a night crying.  She still doesn't get out of her bed, so we have to get out of ours to go check on her.  Most nights she ends up sleeping on our floor.  We have learned to do whatever it takes to maximize the amount of sleep we get.  Like they say, she won't graduate from high school and still be sleeping in our room. 

Mara loves music.  The music is usually on if we're home.  Lately, she has been requesting "Tomlin!" (Chris Tomlin).  She is even getting good at picking out his songs on the radio.  She loves to dance.  Mara enjoys being outside.  She learned how to pedal her trike this fall, and she is very proud of that accomplishment.   

Mara loves to do her school "tivities" (activities) and crafts.  She's always very anxious for Micah to take his morning nap, so we can get started.  She seems to remember if we haven't done them in a few days because she will ask to do them at night.  I have been using the two-year-old curriculum from Hubbards Cupboard and Pre-K packs from Over The Big Moon.  Her favorite activities are those that require a glue stick.  We've attempted scissors, but cutting string is about all we've accomplished.

Mara is THE BEST big sister. It's just amazes me how much she loves her brother. She's always looking out for him. If Micah never gets a little brother, I don't think he'll mind. Mara has already stepped into the brother role. You should see these two wrestle. Or maybe you shouldn't. It looks dangerous and it probably is. But they both laugh the entire time, so we let it go on and continue to be spectators!