Tabs at 3.25

Unbelievable that (more than) a quarter year has passed since my little girl turned three. At this age, of course, you don’t see changes as rapidly, but they are there nonetheless. One change I’m annoyed about is her new-found resistance to certain foods. My child who would eat broccoli straight out of the steamer now turns up her nose at foods she’s always loved as well as new ones (that I’m pretty sure she’ll like) without even trying them. It’s a bit irritating, but I am a mean mommy and she can eat as much as she likes of her dinner (and various fruits/veggies we keep around) or “You know when breakfast is.” She sometimes surprises me ant eats a ton of this or that (a whole bowl of guacamole), but you just never know.

She’s also gotten really into her alphabet and has been having a lot of fun identifying letters. She’s always been much more interested in Little Einstein than Sesame Street, but now partially thanks to preschool, letters are fascinating for her. She’s gone through over half of her workbook and we’re contemplating getting her another (and this time photo-copying the pages). Along those lines, she’s also started drawing people that bear some resemblance to actual people. They’re still rather abstract (head, eyes, arms, legs, no torso), of course, but they are very neat.At playtime, she can be found doing just about anything, mostly imaginative roleplay. She has dolls that she puts to bed and rescues from “arctic foxes.” She makes us soup and tea and grilled cheese in her kitchen. She likes very very much to be in charge, of anyone and everyone. She is fond of telling me, “You’re not in charge!” and on one occasion where she came in our room in the middle of the night and I told her to go back to her bed, she said to me, “I’m not asking you! I’m asking Daddy!!” We lock horns occasionally and I must always try very hard to remember she’s only three and that I need patience with her. I am fairly successful at this.

My greatest joy lately has been seeing Tabby and Ben play together. They don’t have super complex games yet, but they have lots of fun. They chase each other, roll balls back and forth and dance. It’s one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen. Tabby is also just super amazing at “dealing with” her brother. She can put him to sleep in the car by singing a monotone chorus of “Go to sleep. Go to sleep. Go to sleep.” It almost always works. She also knows how to distract him from irritating her and taking her things by finding something for him to play with. This also works well when he has new birthday toys she’d like to play with. Quite a handy skill.

She is very much looking forward to summer, particularly going to the pool and riding her new bike as well as eating tons of corn on the cob. We, likewise, are looking forward to sharing new and fun experiences with her. It’s such a privilege and a joy!