This sweet and goofy love turns 3 today and I can hardly believe it. She is silly, sweet, and ohhh so chatty. Here’s what life with Prim is like right now:
Saying: Prim is the chattiest child I have ever met. As soon as she wakes up in the morning she starts talking and she literally does not stop until she falls asleep. Some funny conversations we’ve had recently:
Me: “Prim, what’s your favorite animal?”
Prim: “Zebra.”
Me: “What’s your favorite color?”
Prim: “I like yellow.”
Me: “What’s your favorite food?”
Prim: “Breakfast.”
In Bordeaux, there was a small light-up rabbit in one of the kids rooms that Prim took a liking to. Before going to bed I usually tell her a short story about a subject of her choosing, and on this specific night she wanted a story about a bunny:
Me: “Once upon a time there was a little bunny named… What was the bunny’s name?”
Prim: “Um… Meatball.” 
Prim’s Favorite Things: Prim is obsessed with cooking and received this cookbook for her birthday from her Auntie Alexis. The recipes are simple and perfect for preschool-aged kids (or a little younger, in Prim’s case) and we have had so much fun cooking together and making recipes from Prim’s “recipe book,” as she calls it. We have also had a spell of warm days here in Amsterdam, prompting us to break out our “kiddie pool” (which is really the world’s smallest sandbox, apparently, but whatever. Also, I have no clue why that thing is so expensive on US Amazon. I bought it for 5 euro here our first summer.) Prim is in love with the water and will stay in that thing all afternoon, literally until her lips are blue and her teeth are chattering. Clearly we’re going to have to get this girl into some swim lessons in California.
Reading: everything! Prim is on a big reading kick these days, so we’re regularly burning through 20+ books a day. The current favorites are: Mouse Soup, I’ll Love You Forever, Corduroy, A Pocket for Corduroy, and (as mentioned above) Pretend Soup.
Latest trick: Prim is becoming more emotionally savvy and has started asking KC and I “Are you happy?” when we’re clearly annoyed or upset about something. I think she’s trying to figure out feelings in general and so wants to know how we’re feeling and why, but in the moment it sometimes can come across as emotional terrorism when you’re fed up with something and this little voice is asking you, “You happy, Mama?” (Kids, man.)
Favorite toys: Prim is very into her “loopfiets” (balance bike, in English) which was her present from Santa this past Christmas. She’s gotten quite good at riding it around and will regularly take it on short errands and trips to our local ice cream shop.
Sweetest things: Prim is seriously the best big sister. She and Lark of course have their moments (the grabbing toys right now — oof.) but overall these two are the best of friends and just make my heart melt with how sweet they are together. Lark has started assisted walking and Prim is often right beside her, walking with her baby carriage and cheering Larky along. Prim will also read to Lark while they are in their room together before going to sleep and when they wake up in the morning. Hearing her recite Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? entirely from memory is especially impressive (and oh so sweet, as it’s Larky’s favorite book right now).
Favorite thing about this age: Prim is seems like such a kid now and it’s so fun having conversations with her. Hearing the things her little brain picks up on is fascinating and such an interesting glimpse into the toddler world. I recently started asking her what she wanted for her birthday, and these were some of her responses:
- “A black cake.”
- “A brown cake.”
- “A yellow cake.”
- “TWO cakes.”
- “We can have a party and I can sing Happy Birthday.”
- “Blue and yellow tulips.”