I'm Going to Count to Three

It seems we have a different Alyce on our hands these days. Well, that's not entirely true. She's still the same grinning, dancing, singing kid I adore. But she's also being defiant and exceedingly strong-willed, and by strong-willed I mean that 50 (or 95) percent of the time she just flat-out refuses to listen to us. I expect that much of this comes from her most recent birthday. Being three, I imagine, comes with a lot of challenges, particularly in the form of mean parents who try to make three year-olds do things against their will, like getting dressed or not colouring on the bedsheets (and the floor, and the walls, and the couch, and her Mama, all in one weekend).

A side of Alyce we are seeing a lot of lately--the back of her as she turns away from us.

Turning three is tough, but turning three in December, right smack in the middle of Hannukah, followed by a trip to Canada to celebrate her Nana's Christmas, is even tougher. Alyce has always been an easy-going kid who didn't ask for much. She enjoys the little things, including the very occasional treat, usually on Shabbat. She loves to receive gifts, but doesn't have a room packed with too many toys. But December has showered Alyce with more treats and presents than anything she has ever experienced. She's gone from a kid who treasures the smallest gift to one treated to cake, chocolate, parties, presents, cocktails (no, wait, not cocktails), and sparkles on what seems to be an hourly basis. I can't tell you how many times this week alone that I have watched Alyce open a gift only to immediately ask where the next present was. Or tell me that she doesn't want dinner, only chocolate.

Glorious chocolate.

I must admit that I've always felt proud that I've never had to leave a store because Alyce was having a meltdown, or listen to her beg for candy. Silly, silly me. Of course this day has come, because, you know, she's a kid. But in the moment, when Alyce is losing it on me for the tenth time that day, and all I want to do is hide, it doesn't matter that she's just acting three. Sometimes it's just hard. I am trying, though, to remember that it's hard for her too. This little girl of mine is trying so hard to figure everything out all at once, and it's a lot of work for her too. I'm sure she'd rather that I was more of an easy-going, go-anywhere kind of parent that wouldn't insist on things like manners and not painting the dog.

Maybe she's got her own blog where she complains about the trials of being three, made all the more difficult because of her crazy Mama. Maybe she writes long-winded posts in which she goes on an on about life as our kid. I bet she posts everyday. Great. Now she's not just driving me crazy, but she's also a better blogger than me.

My eager kid, showing off her new jammies.

Night everyone.