I suppose your child's ages just passes and you enjoy watching them grow and develop in their own way that often you might not actually think about the craziness that your child is older. With Raph he always just seems to fit in with what I expect his age should be doing. There are no big surprises, he just potters on. But with Etta, I am just a bit blown away really with her and her attitude toward things and the fact that she is just so girly. And turning 3 hasn't helped. In fact we put a two year old to bed and the next morning we had this clearer talking, funny-face-making child who knew exactly what was going on and scarily, I suppose, I saw turn into a mini-me. She just grew up and I think with the crossover between 2 and 3 they just aren't really a toddler anymore, so what do they become? Just a child. You have to pay more money for them on days out now and I suppose this is now the last year before the big school start so with all those emotions starting to kick in about a big change in life, it seems appropriate that they do 'grow up' slightly. I mentioned earlier Etta's ability to be girly but it seems to have intensified. I always think that our kids would be really good for a scientist to watch over time. Both children have been given the same opportunities to do and play with whatever they want but both are so stereotypically boy and girl. Etta has been asking for some Disney princess make-up sets that seem to be on every advert on the kids' channel and I am really just not interested in it. I don't want to support it, she can't ever play with mine and yet this desire is still so strong. I caved slightly by purchasing some lip balms for her from Lip Smacker which are just shimmery, but the packaging has all the princesses on. This was literally the most make up related thing I was prepared to get. I hate the thought of her wanting all that just yet. But there are other signs that this little lady is growing up, her attitude, the way she has started fluently talking and all these are just a huge wake up call for what's to come. If I think make up is a problem at the moment just wait, I know it is going to be harder and so much harder than our plain sailing Raphael! And this is just the start, she has only been three for a matter of days. Wish us luck!
Emily
I too have a three year old and can honestly say it is perhaps the best age to be. I had a tricky time with my daughter during her 2's - she was just sooooo independent, but completely and utterly frustrated. Turning three was amazing, because as you have just said quite literally overnight my daughter too woke up a different child, less frustrated, more articulate, more accepting of needing a little help now and again, less likely to erupt in the rolling around on the floor and inconsolable crying bouts that had driven me crazy over the previous year. You can now look forward to more days when you don't need a pushchair, more days when your daughter can entertain herself and you can look on with awe and disbelief when you realise how much she has learnt over the past three years, how many sounds and letters she can identify. It really is astonishing how clever they are at this year. I don't have a tv license so have been saved the inevitable 'need' and 'want' enforced on our consumer culture, what we don't see advertised we don't know about and long may that last. Enjoy your girl xx
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