How is this possible?

You'll have to forgive my sentimentality right now.  I will blame it on the near-end-pregnancy hormones, which are a raging.   But how did this...

and this face...

so quickly turn into this face?

and this face?

My baby is turning three.  It's too much for my little heart to bear right now.  

On a lighter note, this child is completely ready to step into her roll as "big sister".   She tells us every day all the things she is going to teach her "little bruder".  She tells me she's going to teach him how to walk, talk, and crawl.  And she's going to get a spoon for me when he starts eating baby food, then I'll tell her thank you, and she'll tell me, "You're welcome mommy."  It's hilarious to hear her go on and on about this subject.  She is very excited about being my big helper.

Another new development with the little one is that yesterday, out of the clear blue sky, she said, "Mommy, I wanna hear a knock-knock joke."  I had no idea that she even knew what a knock-knock joke was.  I still am not sure where she learned about it, but we started telling knock-knock jokes and at the end of every one she would say, "Eww gross!"  It was hilarious!

We have also heard a few very grown-up phrases coming from the mouth of this just turned 3 year old.  These two phrases were both used today.  "Are we having a problem here?" was asked of her daddy when he got the car seat buckle twisted.  "What can I do for you?" was asked of me when I called her to come see me.  Both times Ryan and I just laughed hysterically.  

So that's my three year old.  More grown up than I would like her to be, but I can't keep her a baby forever, so I'll rejoice in the way she is growing and learning.  And I'll remind myself that the difficulties of today will pale in comparison of the difficulties to come.  

Which reminds me, does anyone know how to keep a child in her bed when you put her down at night?  I mean seriously!!!  The kid could drive us crazy.  It can take up to an hour for her to finally stay in her bed and go to sleep.   I know, I'll be wishing for this battle someday when she's 15.