The Magic of Four

[Naptime with Elie the elephant]

I don't quite know how to explain this but there seems to be something magical that happens when a child turns Four. Violet has blossomed (excuse the pun) this year in regards to vocabulary, personality, and headstrongness (is that a word?). This is the year that my precious little girl has grabbed life by the tail and lit a fire under it. Every moment leading to this age has been incredible and I miss them all but FOUR has been fabulous. Don't get me wrong, Violet still throws her share of tantrums but they don't happen as often as they did, like say a year ago. I swear, Three was almost the end of the world for us at times. It doesn't seem possible but a year truly does make a difference.

One of the things I've noticed that has changed drastically this year is Violet's personality around others. My child, who was once timid and shy at times, will now talk your ear off! Whenever I'm on the phone she will beg to talk to her MiMi (I guess that tells you how often I talk to my own Mom). Anyways, she just assumes that when I'm on the phone it is with someone she should be able to talk to. Never mind the fact that I'm talking to someone at our apartment's office to get something fixed/done, or whoever/whatever it may be. No, Violet is so darned sure that I'm on the phone with SOMEONE who's deserving of listening to her talk about her favorite show (Maggie And The Ferocious Beast) or her favorite toy (Elie, her stuffed elephant), or whatever else she thinks of at any given moment. This has been particularly fun when someone is on the other end of the phone line who she CAN talk with (family and only a few close friends whom we trust to tell us enough is enough).

My precious Mother-In-Law called earlier and Violet couldn't keep still through her excitement! (This is the case whenever she talks to all family so no one get jealous, okay?) We have a speakerphone that we've put to great use over the past few years but this year more so than ever, they're really handy. Anyways, Violet was literally doing flips on the floor while talking to her MiMi (the name for both Grandmothers in our family) and held her own in the conversation too. She's quite talented. Here's the thing though, everyone who talks to Violet is amazed at how well she converses with them now a days. It's as if something clicked and she will now talk (and talk, and talk) to whomever is on the phone. It's the age I tell ya!

There is something magical about Four, which is a good thing since we barely survived Three. People always say "The Terrible Twos" are a nightmare. What they don't want to tell you is that Three is SOOO much worse. I guess you gird yourself with strength and as you get through Two, sighing to yourself that "That wasn't so bad" that Three takes your breath away, yanks the rug out from under you, suffocates you in your sleep, that you are so eternally grateful to be through it and on to a new year, a new age. Four is the year you need to gather your wits again so you can press on. Four gives you hope that Three was just a phase. Four is where you start to see all the work you've been putting into one human being and seeing if it was all worth it (which it totally is by the way). Four is the year where magic happens. I'm loving Four.