You're Three

To my middle child, no longer a baby, fully "big girl"...you are three.  You love to snuggle and cuddle and I wish I could carry you around all day like you ask.  You are a wonderful helper, quick to volunteer when jobs need doing.  You like mommy's new sweeper and use it several times a day to suck up Z's cheerios.  You're also pretty good at emptying the dishwasher, picking up toys, folding washrags, matching socks, putting away your clean clothes, putting away groceries, and carrying in groceries.

Fiercely independent, you want to do it all yourself.  You impress me with what you can do...putting on your coat, opening boxes/bags, working tough puzzles, cutting on the line, making your own pb&j.  You love to brush your own hair and would spend an hour spraying it down and brushing it if we didn't have school to do.  You've given yourself a haircut twice in the last month, much to my dismay.  You are fortunate to have the kind of curls that look good "layered."

You still enjoy a cup of hot milk in the morning, then toy with the rest of your food all day.  Though gum is quite a magic wonder.  If only I could pack some nutritional content into a stick of gum.  I have to give you credit for eating fruit and veggies.  You love all berries, and were even sad the last time I had to throw out some blueberries because we didn't eat them before they went bad.  I felt awful.  You announced this week that, "I'm three, so I like butter now."  And at a different meal, "I'm three, so I don't like french fries anymore."  I'm curious to see how these resolutions hold out, since butter has been a nemesis and french fries a precious friend for a very long time.

You are also a big fan of the living room pizza picnic/movie night combo.  Lion King is the current reigning favorite.  I think we have finally saturated you with enough Toy Story propaganda to allow you to move on from that fixation.

You are squirmy and wiggly and only sit still when being held or touching someone else.  Sitting on your bottom at the table is a current battle and you have landed on the floor more than once.

You can't keep your hands off your baby brother.  If he's in the room, you've got to hug him, squeeze his neck, rub his hair, tickle his toes.  You want to mommy him so much.

You are a very patient little sister, playing whatever game of the day has been prescribed by A, and seldom challenging her rules.  Your imagination has benefited greatly from her and it is a joy to hear you playing nicely together, and even squealing together in naughty shenanigans.  Occasionally, you get fed up with her being bigger and better and start pushing her buttons.  You're always quick to admit you were being a pest and apologize (at least if she whines loud enough).

I can't keep you from soaking up school meant for A.  You pretend to not know your letters, then turn around and recite her Awana verses.  You do a great job of tagging along on this year's education adventure, but I'm afraid you'll need more, much more next year.

It seems that overnight, all at once, you've left your baby ways behind you and embraced being a big girl.  The whining has all but disappeared, your vocabulary has exploded, your choices (even bad ones) are well thought out, you have real opinions to share.  Happy Birthday, sweet C.  We love you, through and through, with big moose hugs.