You at THREE: things I want to remember.

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Luci Belle,

On the eve of your 3rd birthday, you started a sentence with, "Last night, when I was wittle..." And that pretty much sums up how quickly you're growing up, seemingly overnight.  

It's been a few months since you turned 3, and I don't want to forget this magical age.  Here are some fun details about your life right now... 

  • One day, we were reading a Dora book about occupations and you said, "When I grow up, I wanna be a soccer ball."  Now you've changed it to say you want to grow up and be a "Doctor Policeman."   
  • Your version of entertainment: "Now I'm going to sing you a song about butterflies and kitty cat poo-poos."
  • You love playing pretend, but you're quick to tell us, "I'm not really a lion, just a PRETEND lion."
  • Everything in your life apparently happens "next weekend" whether it's really tomorrow, or yesterday, or two months ago.  Example: On our flight back to Texas from New Jersey this summer, you could see the moon and asked if we would be flying high enough to go to the moon today. I told you it was really really high in the sky so probably not. You said, "That's ok. We can go to the moon next weekend."
  • The other day you were on a playdate with a friend and both of us moms were in the other room.  We overheard you and your friend "chatting" at the kitchen table while you had a snack.  "I'm three!" you exclaimed.  Your friend said, "No, I'm three!"  You answered, "You're three and I'm three, and that's the truth!"
  • It's still hard to get you to eat your veggies but the other day, you actually asked me for a green smoothie. “Mommy, you put LEAVES in it,” you explained.  You've also become very good at cutting cucumbers and lettuce for salad and - bonus - now you actually wants to eat salad because you made it.

  • You want to do everything by yourself.  Here's one of my favorite photos of you feeding the birds by yourself at Mimi and Papa's house...

  • After I gave you apples and pancakes for breakfast one morning, you said, "I don't want to eat apples right now. I'm gonna wait till after Christmas."
  • The other day I got stressed about something and you put your hands on my shoulders and said, "Just a-lax (relax), okay?  Take a deep breath."
  • You've had to endure your Mommy's morning sickness for a long time now, but it doesn't faze you anymore. One morning as I ran to the bathroom, you said, "Go ahead and frow up, Mommy. I'm gonna eat my breakfast."
  • You're such an affectionate, loving child...always have been.  But now it's even sweeter when all of a sudden out of the blue, you call me from the next room and then tell me, "I forgot to give you a kiss and a hug!"
  • The other day you called to us from the playroom and your Daddy replied, “Sorry, we can’t come right now!  I’m giving Mommy a kiss.”  You exclaimed, “Wait, I wanna see!” and came dashing into the room and stood there staring at us with a shy, happy grin.  Then last night, I overheard you saying to Daddy, “You, me and Mommy all love each other.  We’re all married.”  We then had to clarify and explain the meaning of marriage in the best way we could, but it made me happy to see you noticing expressions of love in our home.
  • I love your own phrases and lingo.  A few favorites lately: We put on our "binoculators" to see the birds in the trees and go to the "priocraptor" to get adjusted.  You started using the word "yesternight" (which I looked up and is actually a real word. Ha.)  And you said the other day, "When I was a little baby, I used to be a puppy."
  • You're getting better and better at playing on your own and I love finding you like this...

  • You would rather "read" books to us now than be read to.  You prefer our grownup books so you can flip through the pages and make up your own stories.
  • You absolutely love going to "Bible school" (Bible Study Fellowship kids' class) and are learning all the songs and stories.  Recently I found you quietly playing in the playroom, setting the table with your play food and singing, "God Is So Good."
  • In a few months, you're going to have a sister!  You insist that you can talk to your sister through my bellybutton and that she's going to be born by "just popping out" of my bellybutton.  I wish it were that easy, sweetie.

You fill our lives with so much joy, Luci Belle.  You make me laugh everyday.  You challenge me to be a better version of myself and to seek the Lord daily so I know how to parent you...and I still don't know sometimes.  I love learning and being on this journey together.

Love,

Mommy