Three

Violet turned three last Friday. Where has the time gone? It honestly seems like it was just yesterday when we put our precious little pink bundle of joy in her car seat and brought her home from the hospital. Yet, it also feels like it was a lifetime ago that we held her tiny frame for the first time. Babies grow up so quickly that you don't realize when they've crossed from babyhood to toddler and then into preschooler and so on. It literally feels like it happens over night.

I've been trying to think of all the changes that Violet has gone through this year and there have been many. Violet has always had a stubborn streak, something she comes by naturally, but she seems even more stubborn than she's ever been. If Violet has it in her mind to do something it will take an act of God to keep her from doing it! She is so much like her mother in that that it's almost scary.

Violet has also developed some very odd compulsive traits lately. Violet likes things in a particular order. I've lost count of all the times when she has lined up every book that she owns on the floor, forming a line of books from the front door to the back. A trail of books that she has carefully laid out, one book at a time. Violet also likes to do this with her toys, although the pattern is different. I'm not sure how Violet determines how she orders things but I do know that it makes perfect sense to her.

Violet has developed the capacity to watch a full cartoon / animated show now. Currently, her favorite cartoons are "Monster's Inc." and "Finding Nemo". Violet enjoys the stories and can get lost in the shows for their entirety. We're going to have to pull out my Disney videos that I started collecting years ago and see which ones she likes.

This year certain friends have been left behind that Violet has loved. Elmo is no longer as important as he used to be. And I don't remember the last time we watched Barney and his friends. Now, new friends have replaced the old ones. We now see a fun, green bear named Boz as well as the frogs from the LeapFrog videos that teach phonics. Winnie the Pooh and his friends have become familiar faces in our house. Which, by the way, Gregg does a fantastic impression of Tigger that Violet and I both enjoy.

Violet's imagination has taken flight recently. So many times I hear Violet call to me, "Look Mommy! I'm a turtle!" (or a frog, or a cat, or any number of things). Then she proceeds to show me how a turtle walks, or how a cat cleans her paws, and so on. Violet is also an excellent mommy to her dolls. She makes sure that they are fed and put down for naps on a regular basis, always talking to them and telling them that she loves them.

Violet received a doll house for her birthday. She's only had it for a few days but she enjoys playing with it a great deal. I was reading a book yesterday when I noticed Violet was talking to herself. I found Violet playing with the dolls in her dollhouse. The two dolls were in a deep conversation about needing to take a bath and get ready for bed. One doll was telling the other that it's not good to jump on the bed and that they needed to stop. A conversation that sounds very familiar.

We have a very girly girl now. Violet loves to have her toenails painted and her hair pulled up. Every now and then Violet protests having her hair pulled back but for the most part she enjoys it. Violet loves dresses and will swirl around in them to show them off when she wears one. She also loves shoes. I don't see what's so exciting about shoes but obviously Violet does. The phrase, "Oh, it's too cute!" is one that we hear alot from Violet when she sees something that she likes.

Violet is fiercely independent. It's a rare occasion when she'll let us do something for her or to help her. She wants to walk on her own whenever we go somewhere, something that we fight over on a regular basis. And forget about putting her in a booster seat. She wants to sit at the table like a big girl. Violet climbs the stairs on her own now and gets very upset if we try to help her, which we do when she's carrying something with her. We don't want her to trip and fall.

Violet loves to be tickled. We've never seen a child who enjoys being tickled as much as she does. We often have tickle fests and when they end Violet usually asks for more. It's a great joy to listen to Violet as she laughs and giggles. There is nothing more pure than her laughter and it makes your heart smile to hear it.

Music is something that Violet has a great love for. She has a good repertoire of songs that she knows and sings. Violet loves music that has a strong beat to it and will sing along to her parents favorite songs. Tears always prick my eyes whenever I hear Violet sing along to the praise and worship music that we play in the house and car. I think a child singing praise and worship music is the most sincere form of worship. What could bring more joy than to listen to children singing songs of praise to our heavenly Father?

We've had the opportunity to spend time with both sets of Violet's grandparents recently. Violet enjoyed spending time with her grandparents and flourished in their love. It was a blessing to watch Violet with her grandparents. Each one different in how they show affection but equal in their love. Violet misses her grandparents and asks for them often. She doesn't understand the concept of distance and time so she has difficulty understanding why she doesn't get to see them very much. Gregg and I have been trying to make it so that Violet gets to see her grandparents more often. If only we could shrink the miles that separate us.

I am struck with amazement at how smart Violet is. She knows her alphabet front and back. We often play with flash cards, out of order, and Violet gets all of her letters with no help from us. Occasionally Violet has trouble discerning an E from an F, and a V from a Y, but generally gets them. Also, Violet is learning her numbers. She can count past 20 and is learning to recognize her numbers. Violet gets her "smarts" from her Daddy's side of the family.

Gregg and I are very blessed by our little girl. She is a good child and works hard to behave for the most part. Violet is generally very good about minding her manners. From the earliest age we've tried to emphasize the importance of saying please, thank you, and asking nicely for things. We have to remind her occasionally to say something politely but not very often. Also, Violet is very quick to say "bless you" whenever someone sneezes. She is very aware of others and tries to treat them nicely.

Gregg and I are often asked how old Violet is. The response of shock is always the same whenever we tell them she's three. People generally seem to be amazed by how well Violet speaks and by her manners. We don't have much to base our thoughts on, other than our own child, and so this seems perfectly normal to us. We're not focusing on raising a child genius rather than one who will be a responsible contributor to society. Someone who will make a difference in the world. If Violet turns out to be someone who does great things then it will be on her own free will. We just want her to grow up to be a mature woman of faith who'll be different in Christ. That's a great gift in and of itself. What matters most is that Violet grows up loving Christ and living a life that He desires for her live.

It's amazing how overwhelming a parent's love for their child can be. My heart is squeezed on a daily basis by the realization that I'm Violet's mother and that I'd do anything for her. Love can be a very overpowering force in your life. Especially love for a child.