A3 is 3

I was extra emotional this evening. I hit me hard when I started going through our bedtime routine; A3 was about to be 3. Three seems so old; no longer a baby. Honestly, two really isn't a baby, but it is easier to live in denial and pretend you still have a baby. At two we still had baby talk and the strange language. At two we still had diapers. At two we still slept in a crib. At two we still had a pacifier.

Wait a minute...

Tomorrow A3 will be three waking up in her crib, wearing a diaper, sucking on her pacifier, and yelling some gibberish that only the other A's will understand.  Not much is changing, so why do I have the cry warning pain in my throat? Why do I keep tearing up when I watch A3 play? Why am I am emotional mess tonight?

I didn't have these issues when A1 and A2 turned three.  I didn't sit in the recliner contemplating the passing of time. I didn't get emotional with their aging until they climbed on that big yellow bus and headed to kindergarten. Good gracious, do I need to call my doctor? Is there something seriously wrong? Do I have some strange condition that causes me to have overactive tear ducts?

A friend of mine jokingly said, "Now you have a three year old, where is the new baby?" I realized what the problem was right then. This is the first time a member of the A team turned three without me being distracted by a newborn. A1 celebrated her 3rd birthday by getting A2. A2 celebrated her 3rd birthday by getting A3.  A3 will celebrate her 3rd birthday by getting a new dress.

Now I have a feeling of dread. Will all of A3's milestones, from now on, be depressing, since she has the burden of being the last A team member?  Will I spend the rest of her life being irrationally crabby and moody, crying every time something awesome happens for her? Yes, the answer is yes. I might as well buy stock in Klenex. I am going to be drying these tears often...

Three year old A1 with her birthday present.

Three year old A2 with her birthday present.

Three year old A3 with her cat.

Unhappy Birthday To You!

It is funny to think that in this super musical family we have girl who hates hearing people sing. *Now, I am not bragging by saying that our family is super musically talented.  All I am saying is that someone is always singing, dancing, or banging on the piano.  I just had to add that disclaimer, in case you have every had the... pleasure of being entertained by one of our daily concerts. 

We have made a lot of progress in A3's hatred of all things live vocal music.  She can now sit through and enjoy a musical at the Muni. She will tolerate and join in singing with her sisters. She demands requests special friends sing songs like, "Twinkle, Twinkle."  She will even ask me to sing songs to her.  

For some reason, we haven't made any progress with one song. A3 HATES "Happy Birthday." It doesn't matter who's birthday it is or who is singing; A3 becomes an angry agitated tiny terror.  She screams and cries while the serenading is taking place. As soon as the singing is over, she calms down and returns to a happy-ish 2 year old.

Hopefully, she learns to get over this or she will have problems at school when kids in her class have birthdays!

Thanks for capturing this special moment Crystal!