Three

Saturday, May 17th was Alison's third birthday. Three years old...Can it really be that our baby is three? Wasn't I just pregnant and waddling around here and didn't I just deliver her? I guess the answer to those questions are no and no since I just filled out her preschool paperwork for the fall!!


What a blessing this child is to our family. She is so bubbly and happy! And what a crazy mix of tomboy and princess. She is our super girl - the rough and tumble toddler that will fall down stairs with a princess dress on, get up, rub her head and try to find the high-heeled shoe that she lost on her way down. She's the one that will act so innocent and sweet and then growl like a dog when her sisters try to take the magic wand that she is playing with!


On the morning of her birthday, Scott and I were getting the girls up and dressed for our busy day that started with a neighborhood garage sale. When Scott went into to get Alison and sing her happy birthday, she proceeded to hold up her three fingers and say "Look Daddy, I have a new number". What a character she is!!


I think Alison celebrated this birthday for almost a full week - first with Poppa Sewick before he left for Florida on Sunday, then with almost ALL her grandmas (Grandma Kemp, Grandma Sewick and Great-Grandma Volkmann) and Papa Kemp at a special party on Thursday. On Friday, Madison and Sammi went "pre-shopping" through the garage sale finds of many neighbors in search of the perfect gift for Alison. They wrapped up their presents and gave them to Ali that night (all Dora items that she LOVED!!!). Saturday, Grandma Sewick and Grandma Kemp were over again to bring her REAL presents (do you think they have a shopping problem or what????) and Alison opened the presents from Scott and I. What more could a girl want at three years old?? She got so many nice things, including gift cards for Target so she could do her own shopping. She ended up with a Dora slip-n-slide, a movie and a Dora talking purse (get the picture here...Dora, Dora, Dora!!). She was a happy little camper all weekend and was just thrilled to have the spotlight all to herself for once.




Her birthday this year seemed bitter sweet to me. How fortunate for her to have such a nice day with so many loving faces smiling at her. She got calls from Uncle Jeff and Poppa Sewick and cards from family in Detroit. She got hugs from neighbor kids and songs from her friends at Sammi's preschool. All great moments for her. But, it occurred to me when she was sitting at the table in front of her cake that this is it...she is our last. We won't have any more two-year olds in our house. No more diapers, potty training, high chairs, baby food. No more diaper bags, bibs or crib sheets. No more number "3" candles to blow out.


We've passed a milestone, not only in Alison's life - she's now officially a "big girl", but in our parenting adventures too. Somehow, our baby has disappeared and before us stands this little person. When did she grow so much hair and when did she learn the word "unusual"? How did she come to know about Hannah Montana and Gabriella Montez of High School Musical? Did I know she could count to fifteen in English and ten in Spanish? I swear I've been awake this whole time, but suddenly **blink**, she's my almost-preschooler instead of my little Ali-Bubba.



In moments like this, I want to make time stand still. I want to breathe the smell of her freshly washed hair as I rock her to sleep and make the clock stop ticking. I want to study her every expression and laugh with her as she says "Mommy you're so silly" when I tickle her little toes. She is in such a wonderful stage right now - fun loving, giggly, affectionate and ever-so aware that every day is a new adventure. She is learning at light speed and her language skills blow me away on a daily basis. It is all so overwhelming at times - times like this - when all I want to do is keep my last little one "little" for just a few minutes more.



I know I'm fighting a losing battle - the clock always wins. I can't make Alison stay little any more than I can stop myself from growing older. It's inevitable that our youngest daughter, our baby, won't be a baby anymore. But for this moment, just today, all I want to do is grab my giddy little blue-eyed beauty, cuddle up with the Elmo blanket and a good book about princesses and castles, and breathe deeply the sweet, sweet smell of baby shampoo.

Happy Birthday, Alison.