The 3s

Sooooo...here's a couple of thing we've learned about three-year-olds.

1) They can sense weakness and they POUNCE...not unlike predators in the wild.  They are just super cute predators that kill with boundless energy and selective hearing (like when you need them to be calm and listen the most).

For example:  Callie was home with Chris today (with some help from Anna this morning- thanks Anna!) and by the time I got home he was on the couch and Cal was frantically playing and I could tell the difference in energy level between the two was gargantuan. 

The following conversation occurred:

Callie: (in her loudest most whiny voice possible, handing Chris a play-doh container) OPEN IT! OPEN IT! OPEN IT!
Chris: (in an obviously exhausted and irritated voice) Chill out for once.  Calm down.  You need to ask nicely.
Callie: (looking between the two of us and sensing our irritation with her lack of manners) Please.
Chris: Okay.
Callie: (smiling slyly) Just kidding!  Sometimes I test you.

OMG our 3-year-old just admitted to testing us.  I have no idea where she has heard that or if she even knows what that actually means, but she is right.  Which leads me to point #2.

2) They test boundaries like nobody's business and it has taken all our energy and mental (and physical) capacities to keep up with her and remain consistent.  Hence why we have brought in reinforcements (aka grandparents and aunties) so much lately...neither of us have been up to "the test" that she so obviously loves putting us through.

3) Just when you think you'll never survive the 3s, you have a mommy/daughter date night that melts your heart and sparks some hope that your little predator can be a cute cuddly teddy bear. 

Until she pees (nonchalantly) in her pants for the 50th time and tries eating your chapstick for the 24th time and yells out "NOSE!" to get her nose wiped for the 66,533,225,678,854 time and you're ready for bed by 7:00 but toddler bedtime isn't for another hour and you wonder how in the world 60 minutes can feel so long when a 90 minute nap time can feel so short.

So I guess that whole last rant brings me to my final point.

4) Expect the unexpected (seriously this potty training regression is throwing us for a loop), treasure sweet and quiet moments ("I love you, Mommy. You're the best mommy."), celebrate small victories (it only took her 30 minutes to fall asleep tonight instead of an hour!) and make sure to have a healthy stock of Kleenex and chapstick on hand.