Life with a 3-Year-Old

Annie's been unpredictable lately - especially needy, moody, clingy, sassy. Today, for example, she woke up at 6:00 a.m. sharp after getting to bed a little late last night, declined to take her nap this afternoon, and was in pretty rough shape post-4:00 p.m. We went for a walk outside to burn off some steam and enjoy the sunshine, and it seemed to regulate her mood a little bit. Afterwards, sitting at the table, eating dinner, she suddenly blurted out:

"Mom? Thanks for leaving me presents when you went to Florida." Big, happy, grateful smile. (Note: we went to Florida the first week of February. It's March 26.) Which just goes to show, life with a 3-year-old is completely unpredictable; just when you think you can't take a minute more of their nonsense, they say something like that out of the blue and completely win you over.

Also getting me through these last, tedious days of winter is the secret knowledge that Annie and I will get to take a little mini-vacation to Florida in just a few short weeks!!!!! We are going to stay with my parents from a Thursday through a Sunday, and I think it's going to be a blast. (Jemma is staying here in the capable hands of my mother-in-law and Jason.) I haven't told Annie yet, mostly because I don't want to answer the question, "When are we going to go at Florida?" 7,495 times between now and then. But I can't wait to tell her, can't wait to see the look of glee on her face, can't wait for her to pack her little backpack importantly with dolls and crayons and snacks, can't wait to hold her little hand in mine as we jet off to someplace warm and unscheduled!