Year 3 was to year 2 mostly what year 2 was to year 1. More fun and much more interesting. What it was not, though, was easier. Our daughter gave us plenty of attitude and pushback in the bargain (and, naturally, continues to do so). But however annoying or infuriating this developmental phase can sometimes be, it’s also utterly awesome:

Your child is becoming a real person, an independent mind.

She has opinions and reasons. She has ideas. She has a sense of humor. She tells stories. In full grammatical sentences. She remembers everything. She comes up with really weird shit. She creates. It’s like all the basic building blocks of an adult person are there, only a little unrefined, and perplexingly in the body of this little creature. It’s a completely different kind of light behind those big eyes compared to a year ago, and it’s wonderful.

(There’s one building block she still lacks, though: hate. I find that all sorts of precious. Plus a little pretentious of me for saying so. But whatever, sue me, I’m a parent. Also, I’m sure she’s going to hate my guts for doing these yearly exposés by the time she hits puberty.)

01.04.2015 / 02.04.2016 / 02.04.2017

Let’s do what we did last year, so here are a few selected milestones from Julia’s third year (dd.mm.yy):

• 02.04.16: Julia rides a bike for the first time. She can’t quite reach the pedals, but at least she figures out steering pretty quickly.
• 13.04.16: First email addressed to Julia. Progress Report 1 from Worldcon 75. We’re totally going.
• 28.06.16: Julia figures out how to load and shoot a pump-action water gun.
• 06.07.16: First popsicle (“mehujää”).
• 14.07.16: First trip to an amusement park. Linnanmäki, naturally. The experience was a bit overwhelming.
• 24.09.16: Julia spontaneously high-fives me for the first time. “Yläfemma!”
• 12.10.16: Julia and I have our first ever video call. She’s in Lancaster, I’m in Klaukkala.
• 16.11.16: First drawing on a computer.
• 21.11.16: Julia pretty much decides to go off diapers during daytime. It’s mostly a clean break, as it were.
• 12.12.16: First time in the sauna. Loves it. Loves the icy apple juice we drink afterwards even more, though.
• 06.02.17: Tongue caught in frozen metal for the first time. And, naturally, for the second time as well.
• 25.02.17: “Salama-kinkku on mausteellista.” Meaning: “Salami on mausteista.” (“Salami is spicy.”)
• 19.03.17: Julia rides a bike completely on her own for the first time. Pedaling included.
• 01.04.17: First ever April Fools’ prank, courtesy of me. Kids are so easy.

See you next year.

* * *

Dad’s sweater from 40 years ago. How cheap are my parents?

Sitting is for babies.

I’m innocent! Do you hear me? I’m innocent! It was my parents! THEY’RE STILL MY PARENTS!

If it moves, I’m so in.

Lancaster fashion 2016.

Reissutyttö.

No, I don’t want to split it. Why?

It’s cool. There’s a perfectly logical explanation to this. Please do not call Child Protective Services.

Not pictured: Screaming humans.

Yeah… That last thing I baked with mom came out a little wrong. Dad’s still missing.

I got this.

The right way to eat a Fazer Domino.

Netflix. Responsible parenting across devices.

Nothing clever here. But check out the colors and contrast.