*: All About 3 year-old Melany

Melany's Toddler Interview: 21 Questions

1. What is something mommy always says to you? Listen!listen!

2. What makes you happy? Playing with you makes me happy

3. What makes you sad? When you're not playing with me

4. What makes you laugh? When you tickle me

5. How old are you? 3

6. How old is Mommy? I don’t know

7. How old is Daddy? 8

8. What is your favorite thing to do? Watch Dora

9. Who is your best friend? Mommy

10. What do you want to be when you grow up? A Doctor

11. What are you really good at? Playing

12. What are you not very good at? listening

13. What did you do today? I played with Ronnie and Jane

14. What is your favorite food? Broccoli, chicken, soup and rice

15. What is your favorite song? I know that my Savior Loves me

16. What do you want for your birthday this year? A cake and tiger decorations

17. What is your favorite animal? Tigers

18. What is love? Means heart

19. What does daddy do for work? Umm..I don’t know

20. Where do you live? In Texas

21. Where is your favorite place to go? The park and playgrounds

Words to describe Melany: Kind, smart, helpful, funny, sweet, musical, energetic, independent, intuitive, and with a huge imagination.

Melany loves to sing in Primary at Church and play instruments in her toy room and in Music class. She enjoys drawing and making pretty drawings of my name “Mom” or "Dad" on paper which she gives to us as gifts. She loves to learn the alphabet and is learning how to read. Melany will have her first soccer game this upcoming Saturday.

At her short age, Melany has taught me more than any book or course. We have struggled to help her be a good listener, develop healthy boundaries and to have a desire to be obedient. Melany’s always had a mind of her own, but it’s been challenging for the past 2 years, to help nurture her need for independence, while setting healthy boundaries and discipline. You see, Melany is as persistent and free spirited as they come. She struggles with rules, like any child her age but, also with listening and following directions. The listening has been a huge deal because it affects interactions not just with us her parents, but with others. It had gotten so bad that about a month and a half ago, I prayed so fervently, like I did when she was in the hospital as a 6 month-old baby. I prayed to God for strength, long suffering and HELP! I was at my wits end, doing those things in my life that would help me be a better Mother, like having charity for my child, and others, serving, praying, reading my scriptures. But I felt that her behavior was not changing and I was not seeing any improvements despite my years of pleading for an improvement. I felt like a failure. I felt like regardless of my degree, sacrifices, and love, it simply was not enough to help my child. As I was praying I remembered just feeling so much peace, and a feeling that everything was going to be ok. I then took the longest shower and felt in a way cleansed from my pain, and disappointments.

I’ve seen miracles in my lifetime, but I had never witnessed a miracle occur so fast as this one. The very next day I prayed, Melany changed! She was not ignoring me when I asked her to do something. She was not crying, or running away. She was listening like never before and even said “ok, I will do it Mommy!” It was almost like her little heart and mind had changed along with mine. One of the things I prayed for was for God to help both Melany and I to be obedient. I asked for Melany to be obedient to me, and I to the Lord. I asked for opportunities to serve the Lord and pay him back a little bit of everything he’s given to me. This experience was such a faith building opportunity. Melany has been doing so much better, tries her best to listen and there is definitely more harmony and peace in our home like never before. God lives and He hears all of our prayers. Melany continues to teach me about God and His love for our family.