Saucer Magnolia Tree - Winter Buds - March 2021

In the Winters since we moved in (and after we planted our Saucer Magnolia tree in our front yard), I've looked at the buds as they are set to burst ahead of Spring.  It started in our first Winter with this post in February of 2018.  In January of 2019, I posted a series of photos with all of the different front yard tree buds.  And last Winter (January), I decided to wire-up one of the trunks (this is a multi-trunk tree) and posted about that decision and included photos of the buds.  With all of the DEEP snow in our yard, I haven't been able to get close enough to this tree to catch some photos.  But, now, with the temperatures rising and the snow melting, I wandered out to check in on the tree.  And, the fuzzy buds are big and bulbous.  And about the burst. 

This tree has, seemingly, grown in height.  Being planted in 2017, it navigated that initial transplant stress.  Then, entering the second and third year of the cycle, I'm thinking it went:

2017: sleep
2018: creep
2019: leap
2020: sleep
2021: creep

Actually...does the cycle repeat itself like that?  Or, once you get to 'leap', does it just alternate between creep and leap?

I haven't included this Saucer Magnolia in the trunk caliper measurements due to the multi-trunk nature, but I suppose I should change that this year - as the top of this tree has exceeded my ability to capture the height.