3

I remember hearing music from The Nutcracker coming out of my daughter's room. She would pop in the CD on her own quite often. This time, though, I peeked in on her and she was in her little princess/balarina dress and tiara, doing peroets (sp) in the middle of her bedroom. It was amazingly beautiful and innocent and I caught it on tape before she realized she had an audience! :D

So NOT my favorite age, if I could have skipped to 5, I would have!

I do remember when we had moved to our new house, it was kind of connected thorough hallways and such to make it where you could go in a circle. We had been there 3 weeks when my 3 yr old runs in all excited, mama, mama, mama, you go that way, and I'll go this way, and promptly runs in the opposite direction from me. So I run around to see his eyes light up and he says, mama, it's a CIRCLE! Like something magical!

It still brings a smile!

For our youngest, three was when she was done with potty training and starting to form real friendships.

For our oldest, three was when his ADHD got him kicked out of preschool and started our journey with this condition.

When my kids were three they were potty trained and going to preschool three mornings a week, so what I remember most was enjoying their growing independence and my growing freedom!

My little boy will also be turning 3 at the end of this month (On the 29th)! :)

He has started to sing 'happy birthday' to himself every morning when he wakes up and then comes to me and demands his presents with a very serious look on his face. Lol!

I remember that my son REALLY started to get empathy and sympathy. He has been tender hearted from the beginning ( I would like to take credit, but truly he came out that way!), but he really started to act on it at that age.

I slipped on ice and broke my arm/wrist at my parents' house about 2 weeks after he turned 3. I was in the living room trying to get my composure and my gloves, etc off with my mom while my dad was trying to distract my son in the kitchen with some mini M&Ms. My dad walked away to go get something for me and I heard my son say to himself "But Mommy's hurt!" He then came out and slipped a green M&M in my mouth and said, :Here mommy. This will feel you better!" Yes - that was his phrasing! Still gets me all teary when I think about it because he DID make me feel better with his sweet little heart!

He also would act out scenarios with his Thomas trains. Once I heard (in several different voices) "You need to go to time out" "No!" " You said no to mommy. That is not nice" "Sorry Mommy (in a really sad voice)" So I guess it would be the mimicking since he would reenact scenes from the show but also his imagination really blossomed.

It is a fun age - but then again they all are, aren't they?!?!?!

What I remember most about age 3 is that the kids are really discovering the world and trying to figure out how things work. I LOVE talking to 3 year olds because you get a sense of how the world works through the eyes of a 3 year old. It is endearing and amusing.

The other thing I remember, though, about age 3 is when they start to develop fears. They now are aware of the world around them, and that there are scarey things out there. Separation anxiety kicks in, even for those kids who NEVER had an issue with it before.

3 is by FAR by my favorite age!

I have a 3 year old right now :) First of all, she cracks us up with the stuff she says. They start to pick up little phrases, idioms, etc and try to use them. My daughter often says "seriously!" and "it's for reals" when she wants to emphasize something and it's the cutest thing.

She still wants to express her displeasure with squeals and shouts and crying instead of words though- we are working on that. I remember that being a big thing to work through with my older daughter too. They seem to be really blowing up in the verbal communication department, yet they still resort to emotional cries and noises when they are mad/sad/upset, rather than "using their words" (<---a parental phrase that I can't stand btw! its so cheesy!)

It's really cute to observe my daughter playing in her own world- talking to her dolls, toys or stuffed animals and creating her own little stories.

She gets in a lot of tiffs with her sister, and the two of them get into shenanigans when we are out and about together, but one-on-one she is dream! I could spend the whole day with just her and me and she'd probably last through all kinds of errands (as long as the snacks were flowing ;) A 3 year old is nice and portable and good company.

Enjoy!

Both of my boys potty trained, started un-parented swim lessons, went to a day camp, started nursery school, started Sunday school, developed their first real friendships and started playing organized sports. They grow up so much and gained so much independence at the age of three, it was like turning on a light switch.