Almost Three...Sigh

Em's birthday is coming up very soon, and she'll be three. Not sure where the past 3 years have gone, because it really does seem like yesterday we were celebrating milestones like rolling, crawling, talking and walking. Now, she never stops moving, speaking or letting us know her opinion. She's wonderfully independent, smart and curious (and at times, exhausting). Today's milestones are transitioning to a big-girl bed, potty-training successfully, and learning Spanish. She's also begun to ask questions about when she'll be getting a baby brother or sister, or telling us stories which include said sibling. We've been trying for 2 years to have another baby, and aren't sure whether that will become a reality. We have an upcoming appointment with a fertility doc, but fear the risk of twins almost more than the risk of not having another child. We have lots to discuss with the doc, and the decision to move forward with fertility treatments remains unmade at this point.

Overall, life with an almost three year old is getting easier in many ways, and in some ways harder. A trip to the grocery store is almost incomplete if she doesn't poke her head out of the race car cart and yell, "Mommy, I've got to go poop RIGHT NOW!", and I race around the store trying to locate the bathroom. She asks a lot of questions, and surprises us by what she already knows. She likes to be a helper in the kitchen and when we do major house cleaning. She'll be thrilled with the pretend vacuum cleaner she's getting for her birthday. Pink, of course!

We plan to take her to the Build-a-Bear store on her birthday weekend, and will probably take her to get some pictures taken as well. I want to get some of her in the ever-present tiaras, fairy wings and tu-tu's that she's sporting these days.

I can't help but think how lucky we are to have this little girl. Lucky because she was our miracle baby after so much heartache, but also lucky because she has made our lives fuller, richer, happier and definitely more sparkly! She's such an easy kid, filled with a wonderful sense of humor, compassion for others, and utterly overflowing with charm.