EVB: 3 Years + 6 Months Old!

Ellen is officially 3 and a half! (That's halfway to 7!) Our little blonde-haired girl is getting so big. I know I've been saying for awhile now how she seems to be transforming into a big kid, but it is so true. I swear sometimes she actually grows overnight and she continues to be able to do more and more for herself each day. For instance, we recently stopped to play at one of the playgrounds at the Minnesota Zoo (our first visit to an outdoor play area this season) and I was blown away by Ellen's climbing and balancing skills. She has come so far since last summer/fall. Watching her, I was equal parts proud and sad about the fact that my baby is growing up. Here's what else EVB has been up to lately:

• Showing more independence dressing/undressing ... She still needs help with sleeves from time to time, but can do pretty much everything else and recently mastered putting on her shoes by herself.
• Wearing underwear overnight, every night. A little while back we finally ditched the Pull-up for bedtime. I know we could have (and probably should have) done this a lot sooner, but I think it became  a habit and an unnecessary insurance policy for mom and dad.
• Socializing: Ellen has come out of her shell lately in terms of her interactions with other kids. For instance, now at ECFE class I overhear her say such things as, "Hi Paige. I saved a spot for you." It's fun to observe these little conversations with her friends.
• Doing a great job at her YMCA tumbling class. Ellen loves going to the Y for classes. The teachers are great and she's enjoying learning skills like walking on a balance beam. (One not so fun thing from class: Last week, Ellen told me that a little boy called her a pig and a puppy and that it hurt her feelings. Ellen informed me that her teacher helped her deal with this kid, but I was heartbroken to know that someone was unkind to my child ... )
• Talking with her hands on her hips. Constantly. Thankfully, it's not done in a sassy kind of a way (at least, not yet) ... it's done more so in an I-think-I'm-an-adult type manner.
• Working on saying words that start with "s" + "c" or "k" ... For as long as we can remember, Ellen has pronounced words like "school," "skate" and "ski" as "sool," "sate," and "si." She has always been able to say her "s" and "c"/"k" sounds separately, but struggles with putting the two sounds together. Now Ellen PROUDLY says "ssss" [PAUSE] "cool" for school, which is super sweet. :)
• Favoring showers over baths. Something about this really makes Ellen seem like a big kid!
• Being a LITTLE bit more patient/gentle/sweet with June. This is still a work in progress. Thankfully, "Please help me to give June space" seems to always make it into Ellen's bedtime prayers.
• Anxiously waiting for spring/summer weather to show up (like everyone else in Minnesota)! Ellen loves being outdoors so the unseasonably cold/snowy weather has been a big stinker for her!