(45 Months) - 3 Years + 9 Months

3 Years + 9 Months:

- Writes her own name.
- Highly observant - noticed when Beebee changed the color of his steering wheel, for example.

- Thoughtful about other people: "Mama, do you think Beebee is happy living in his house?" (talking about retirement).

- Thanksgiving celebration with family and friends.

- "Teacher Liz was thankful for nuts."

- "It's not fair to talk to a person when they're pooping."

- "Grandma and I just went golfing. Grandpa watched the twins. I grew them at the same time."

-  Francie: "What's their mama's name? And their daddies?
Me: "It's Mari. And Brian."
Francie: "That's funny."
Me: "Why is that funny?"
Francie: "That's not a why question."

- "Do you think I'm prettier than the princesses in the movie?"

- "Mama is the sun further than the moon? I love you to the sun and back."

- "I had good dreams. I had only one dream about an agilator eating me."
- Francie was looking for her baby dolls. Alex and I told her that maybe her babies just grew up. She said, with no shortage of sass, "Babies who are pretend can't grow up."

Her first official writing of her own name, at home, without any parental help.

Crushing on Baby Hannah.

Thanksgiving at our place.

Sledding. Before we popped the River Rat.

Pioneer Square Christmas tree lighting with Mary Ann and Beebee.

Sitting on (mama's lap on) Santa's lap.

Girlfriend loves her some fancy dress clothes.

Beebee's advent back in action!

Pre-tree lunch at Helvetia Tavern.

Christmas trees with the Franzkes.

The Charlie Brown Christmas tree has been chosen.

Gus, Josie, and Francie

Park fashion.

Decorating the tree in her flower girl dress.

At the Children's Museum with Beebee.

Random 3.5 year old thoughts.

Vermont Hills Family Life Center holiday program.

Teacher Liz helping Francie hand out the gifts she chose for each one of her school friends.

These three amigos - Charlie, Francie and Iris

Wearing piggies like Iris.

Under my umbrella. At a tuba concert no less.

Flamily coffee break after the very wet tuba concert at Pioneer Square.

Umbrella fun.

Cookie Party at the Mennes! With the Hannams, too.

Cookie decorating at its finest.

Watching the Grinch.

Young love with Logan at brunch.

Future writer for Daniel Tiger episodes.

Commissioning a family portrait for the Franzkes.

Holiday art projects on a Mama Day.

Francie and her preschool teacher, Liz.

This snowglobe painting was hanging with those of her classmates. Hers was the only one with a dismembered snowman, so naturally I was concerned. I *casually* mentioned this to one of the school teachers, not her main one. She talked about how cool it is to see how kids do art, blah blah blah. Then when I saw Teacher Liz next, I inquired about the snowglobe. She informed me that, in fact, Francine was the ONLY kid who followed the directions correctly - because the snowmen were supposed to be in a blizzard! They talked about what might happen to a snowman in a blizzard, and this was the Bean's interpretation. 

Needless to say, her hyper-critical and neurotic mother is kind of an asshole.

Tahoe bound!