Our Little Contrarian Turns Three

Little spriteling had a birthday last week. She's THREE YEARS OLD.

And it maybe shouldn't seem that surprising. After all, I have had nine children turn three before. 

But, as Abe texted (in response to some birthday pictures and videos I sent to him and Daisy): 

"This is the first time ever that I can say my youngest sibling is three. After 21 years of waiting."

Likewise, in TWENTY-ONE YEARS, I have never ever once had a youngest child that was THREE!

And that is pretty crazy! Isn't it? 21 years of never ever not having a someone who is two or younger! I hardly know what to make of either leaving that stage, or of having survived it to begin with!

Anyway. Strange or not, this little tenth child is three. And she has become as contrary as any human might dream of being (bless her tiny heart). There is nothing she doesn't have to do herself, no willingness to ask for anything without screams, nothing she will agree to wear without meltdowns and multiple repetitions from me that the one thing she will wear (the pink pants and shirt from the above photo) is in the laundry, no bowl she will eat out of that isn't yellow, etc. etc. 

But she likes to have me sit on the couch and just hold her. And always likes to be near me. And she whisper plays so dearly with various little things. And has confiscated my pink make-up sponge so completely ("It's my pink poof" she insists.) And she says such darling things. (At church yesterday she patted Penny's flower dress thoughtfully then said to me, "Mom? Can I have this Penny?" ["Yes," I told her. "Yes, you can have her."--Upon which she happily and possessively patted the flowers on Penny's dress some more.]) And she's so certain of her abilities. (Today, when Hans broke something he'd built, she ran to him calling, "I can fix it!" [Though I am quite certain she could not.])

And all of those things? Well. They compensate for the current contrary that exists in her more than enough! 

She is adored.