They are three ...

and yes, that's a rice cake under Trace's candles. His choices were pie, cupcakes or rice krispie treats and he chose a rice cake. These are the tribulations of our lives.

At three years old, Trace

• loves to help dad work with tools. He's the best little helper going and wears his googles for safety (even some days for lunch).
  
  
• eats chicken, peanut butter, crackers and pears. That about sums it up. He's also recently fallen in love with Starburst candies. I'm thinking we could get him to do just about anything for a Starburst.
  
  
• is captivated by anything with wheels. Trains, trucks, tractors ... you name it.
  
  
• says "mommy" 52,329 times per day. Half of those times he doesn't have anything else to say, I think he's just checking that I'm still around.
  
  
• can turn stormy in an instant when things don't go his way.
  
  
• is always the first little person up in the morning.
  
  
• gives the best good night hugs.
  
  
• can get dressed and undressed with some help.
  
  
• loves Blake Shelton's "Hillybilly Bone" (which ironically features Trace Adkins).
  
  
• thinks dogs make the world go around.
  
  
• can simultaneously make all three of his sisters scream for different reasons.
  
  
• is looking forward to the new Toy Story movie.
  
  
• is the best friend a mom could ask for.
  
  
• picks up NONE of his toys.
  
  
• has, at times, been threatened with duct tape and dismemberment.

At three, Alysse

• can drink faster than any child you've ever seen.
  
  
• climbs anything and everything.
  
  
• loves her older sisters and wants to do their "big girl" things.
  
  
• has been dubbed "most likely to pursue a career in competition eating" among our offspring.
  
  
• frequently thinks she's a cat.
  
  
• has been given the nickname P. Pie McSkittle (among other misnomers).
  
  
• called Alivia "Liv" for the first time just days ago. She typically refers to Alivia (her best friend) as "Pixie Mae."
  
  
• can get dressed and undressed all by herself.
  
  
• never shuts up. Ever.
  
  
• is the child closest to flying our nest.
  
  
• makes my heart sing beyond compare.
  
  
• absolutely, positively loves books.
  
  
• can't wait to start preschool.
  
  
• asks if her teeth are "sparkly" after she brushes them.
  
  
• gets frightened easily.

Now on with the year of fear ... two three year olds. Yikes!