Life with an *almost* three and a half year old is a blast. Everyone warned me about the horrors of the "Terrorist threes" but I have got to say, they were totally wrong. We do have some difficult days here and there but that is to be expected with any age. There are always challenges and they are always testing their boundaries in an effort to become more independent. The point is, we LOVE having a three year old! This has easily been the most exciting year we have had as parents.
This year Emma has begun outgrowing Mickey Mouse and has become obsessed with Jake and the Neverland Pirates. We have most of the toys and I cannot tell you how many hours a week Issac and I spend "Playing pirates" with her. Most days we have to sit down with all of her Jake toys, which literally cover half of the living room floor, and we role play with all of her figurines, sometimes for a few hours at a time.
One of the really cool things about having a three year old is the amount of stuff they are able to do at three verses what they were able to do at two. Family outings have become a lot more interactive and her stroller is basically a thing of the past. I think the last time we used it was on The 4th of July when we were at the MPEC center. Since turning three Emma has become very involved in outside activities and now plays soccer and does gymnastics FIVE days a week! Ponytails practice once a week usually for about 45 minutes and then have games every Saturday with the occasional Sunday game. Since this team is for three and four year old's the games are played on a shortened soccer field and each quarter lasts only ten minutes. Only three girls from each team are allowed on the field at a time and the score is not kept. Honestly, at this age they really have no concept of keeping score and you are really just trying to get them to understand the basics of the game and if you are lucky- have them put the ball in the correct goal. Emma had her first game last Saturday and did amazing. She played three full quarters and ran her little heart out. She really did not seem to care about actually putting the ball in the goal but she kept running and had a good time which is all I cared about to begin with.
The girls with Coach Brittany who also played on the Ponytails when she was their age.
Family photo after the game. Our shirts had just come in that morning so we had to throw them on when we got to the field hence the reason my clothes do not match. Emma was so happy to see her number (#9) on the back of our shirts.
In addition to staying busy with gymnastics and soccer our little Emma has become quite the social butterfly. We are completely blessed to have purchased a home on a street that is not only full of children her age but also full of very nice parents who we get along with beautifully. We have a very tight knit little street where most evenings, weekends, and holidays are spent with our neighbors. You don't see these kind of communities very often in today's day and age which makes us feel *extra* blessed. Emma gets to spend time with other children pretty much seven days a week which is great for her since she is, and will remain an only child. The kids all have their own cars so one of their favorite past times is driving their cars up and down the street together. Many times they will all pile into Riley's Escalade because it has a trunk allowing 3-4 kids to ride in her car at a time. A lot of times they even throw Charger in a drive him around which he for some reason really seems to enjoy.
At the age of three Emma can spell her name, is learning how to write, can identify most states on the US map, can re-tell many of the stories from the Bible, and is currently learning about money- mainly about coins and the value of each type. We recently held a lemonade stand with some of the kids on our street which was an excellent opportunity to work with coins and practice what we have been learning. They had a blast and I am sure had no idea that what they were doing was actually educational.
All around three has just been a great year so far. Being a parent is an amazing gift and is a gift that I am eternally grateful for especially since I have been given the opportunity to stay home and never miss a beat. We are loving life as a family of three and are so happy and so content with where we are in life . After nearly a decade of being together, Issac and I have truly been blessed with this incredible, beautiful, intelligent, HEALTHY, completely perfect child and there is no possible way to express our gratitude for this priceless blessing that has been bestowed upon us.
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