I Survived "3"

Wow, I can't believe we've reached 4 already? Has it really been a year? Pulse... check. Breathing... check. Sanity... questionable. Looks like I actually survived "3." I think what I need most is a reality check. It's true, my baby girl is now "4." Yes, it is so.

I've spent the last year writing about all of the fun little things moms go through as we try to grow our 3-year-olds into respectable little people. I feel a great sense of accomplishment. I set out to blog for an entire year and I did just that. There are 90 blog entries total from June 2008 - August 2009. These blogs document all of the experiences over the year that I never want to forget. As we grow older, memories fade and new memories take their place. I blogged to capture these special moments forever, so we could look back and remember the innocence and beauty of childhood. This blog will be converted to a blog book (http://www.blurb.com/create/book/blogbook). I hope that my daughter will cherish it always. Someday, when Alyssa has children of her own, I hope that she can embrace similar moments with a smile. To survive "3," you need lots of patience, compassion, a great sense of humor, consistency, and an abundance of love. If all those fail, a little Captain Morgan and Coca-Cola will do the trick.

It's been fun going back an reading all of my blogs. We've come a long way in a year, but we still have a long way to go. Everyone always told me that the 3's are worse than the 2's, so I named my blog "Surviving 3." Yes, I did it, I survived. I survived the "What's that?" and "Cuz why?" phase. I survived the potty training. I survived the tantrums. I wish I could say that I survived not listening (a/k/a selective hearing), but we're still working on that. People with teenagers have warned me that it only gets worse. I'm starting to wonder how many times I have to repeat myself to get through. Right now, my biggest frustration is slamming doors and flipping light switches. Somebody please make it stop!!!

My greatest joy is when Alyssa comes up to me and tells me she has a secret, then whispers in my ear, "I love you!" She is an amazing little girl. She's very affectionate and loves to give hugs. She is genuinely concerned when you get hurt and offers kisses to make it all better. She says "please" and "thank you" without being asked. She will even apologize on her own when she's misbehaved. If this is any insight of what's to come, I'll take the 4's over the 3's any day.

Alyssa is an amazing little girl! I'm so blessed to have her in my life. She is very bright and has an impeccable memory just like her Daddy. She's inherited our sense of humor and likes to kid around. We have lots of fun together! She loves drawing, coloring, and playing with Play-Doh. I'm hopeful that she has her Daddy's artistic talents. She loves to help out in the kitchen, so I hope she enjoys cooking and baking as much as I do. She is analytical and enjoys working on puzzles that are for 5-6 year olds. She loves playing games and doing activities on the computer. She enjoys the outdoors and is willing to try all kinds of sports. She loves swimming, riding her bike, kicking a soccer ball, playing tennis, and hitting softballs. She likes to play dress-up, sing, and dance. She's our little princess. She is and will always be my baby girl. I love her so much!

It is bittersweet that this is my final blog. I've been neglecting my handwritten journal over the past year and I'm looking forward to focusing more on my other writing. Thank you to everyone who has enjoyed reading about our experiences over the past year. Thank you to all of you who have commented on my blogs. Your comments will be included in the blog book. This is the end of one chapter, but the beginning of so much more to come. I'm proud to say it... I survived "3."