Monday, September 14, 2009

Three

Last week, September 8, Sophie turned 3.

Is it hard to believe that this child who grew in my bellywho could barely focus on my facewho couldn't talk or walk

is 3?

Yes. No, not really. Kind of. It all at once seems like yesterday and forever ago. I can't imagine life without her, and yet it all just happened. Yesterday.
Sophie has definitely entered her 3's. Every hour is littered with "watch me do!" as she gets into downward dog and lifts one leg to the ceiling. "Watch me do!" as she stands on her tip-toes. "Watch me do!" as she crosses one leg over the other and leans against the wall in a very grown-up gesture. And I should correct her as my mom did this weekend on Skype. "Sophie, say watch me do THIS" but it's so cute.

At the same time, she can be ferocious and demanding, "Mommy! I want ORANGE JUICE!!!"

Whoa.

And those demands seem to become more prevalent. And I try, oh I TRY to react with love, with grace, but sometimes... sometimes... sometimes I put both of us in time out.I have heard an astonishing number of parents recount to me that their most difficult age was not 2, but 3. I can see this. There is a level of independence that wasn't present a year ago, as well as a testing of limits. She will ask for eggs, then refuse to eat them. She will wake up at 4AM and refuse to go back to sleep... unless we take her to our bed. She follows me around saying, "I want you" after we have spent an hour playing and snuggling and the laundry still needs to be folded.

We are seeing the development of her interests. While in South Dakota, my niece (9 days Sophie's junior) was deftly defending the basketball hoop while her mama dribbled. Sophie conducted an elaborate interpretive dance to keep Stacey at bay. I'm starting to look for ballet classes for her.She loves to paint, especially if Roy or I paint with her. I haven't used watercolors since high school and the honest truth is, they're a lot of fun.

She loves sleeping over at her cousin Aubrey's and asking Wendy Dog what sticker she wants. She sets the table for dinner and chooses what plate she will use that night. And she has informed us that she would like a baby brother or sister. She will have to wait on that one.

And at 4AM... during the meltdowns and the tantrums and the defiance, I wipe my brow and think, wow, I want another one of these? And I look at that child of mine and think yes. To experience more love like this? Oh, yes.

8 comments:

Rachel said...

Okay. You MUST come to Madison so that I can meet this Sophie. Soon. Anytime. Happy birth-day to all of you!

kclblogs said...

i love hearing about this sweet girl. i hope to spend more time with her : ) yes, the threes are the hardest, in my experience. hang in there.....

AnnaMarie said...

Ah, two of my favorite women. Anyone feel in need of a woman's retreat?

Rachel.. yes yes and yes. I don't even want to count the years since I saw the beautiful you.

beinmyOWNself said...

aw, great timeline of pics, lady! I still have the sticker sophie gave me stuck to my steering wheel in the truck;)

carrie saxl said...

What a beautiful post. You and your lovely daughter are an inspiration.

Rachel said...

Women's retreat?!? Next summer?!?

AnnaMarie said...

I may have a baby next summer (!?!?!??!) but I like to think this could be a kid friendly retreat, too... up north? Katie??

beccyjoe said...

Georgia, the 2 year old I used to nanny, would also always do the downward dog with one leg in the air! Must be a toddler thing. Watch me do!!