Three

Adrienne turned 3 a couple of weeks ago. It was a monumentous birthday and one that came with much anticipation for her. Unfortunately for Adrienne, her birthday comes following a long string of family birthdays in the summer/fall and I think she was beginning to think her birthday was never going to come. We would tell her that her birthday is in November and she could repeat that if you asked her, but of course she had no idea what that meant in real time. 

A: Is it my birthday today? 

Me: No, honey. 

A: Awwwwwwww, mooooooom....... 

And thus it went quite often until, then, it was her birthday.

This year she was lucky because Grandma and Granddad could be here for both Thanksgiving and Adrienne's birthday. The more attention the better. As soon she woke up, she was out of bed and excited about her birthday. We congratulated her on turning 3 years old. "No, I'm not 3 yet." She informed us. "I haven't blown out my candles yet". I don't know why, but somehow she had put the pieces together that blowing out the candles directly correlates with turning another year older. This seemed like a simple enough problem, so I offered to put candles on her breakfast waffle so she could blow them out and be three already. This upset her. Candles DO NOT go on waffles, Mommy. They go on cakes. With singing and friends and blowing out the candles and turning another year older. It would be so silly (i.e. distressing) to do it another way. 

So we waited until Adrienne's friends arrived. She could hardly wait to turn 3, so we turned straight to loading up her cupcake with candles. Finally they lit (it was a bit windy) and we were ready to sing Happy Birthday. Unfortunately the pictures don't do it justice. Adrienne just drank it all in during the singing, standing there looking so proud and happy. And finally--poof! The candles were out and Adrienne was 3. She loves being 3 and is happy to tell anyone who will listen. And she is a big girl now, she says. I can't believe my little big girl is 3 already!?

Later that night, we were going to open her birthday presents. She had enjoyed blowing out the candles so much earlier in the day that I asked if she wanted us to sing and blow out the candles one more time on her birthday. "No, Mom," she said, "I am not ready to be 4 yet." You and me both kid. Happy 3rd Birthday, Adrienne!