How to be (almost) 3 ... Skylar-style.

1. Treat the world as your sketchbook ... draw pretty pictures on the walls, put stickers on the wood floors and furniture (and on mommy), and scribble designs on your baby sister or her clothing at least once every day.
2. Choose a favorite movie and watch it at least four or five times every single day, beginning from the moment you wake up and continuing until bedtime. Current recommendations: Monsters, Inc., followed by Finding Nemo, Elmocize and the Fisher Price Little People video.
3. Subsist on pop tarts, orange juice, "chocolate-chocolate milk," and candy treats earned for using the potty.
4. Insist on jumping up the stairs and getting an airplane ride as a pre-condition to a peaceful naptime.
5. Talk ... a lot. Talk about what's happening on the movie, talk about what you see on the computer screen, talk about what your brothers and daddy might be doing and when they'll be home, talk on the play telephone and talk about what you just did, want to do and are about to try. Most of all, though, just make sure you keep talking.
6. Dance around the living room at least once a day and insist that mommy and baby Dani dance with you. The kitchen works fine, too.
7. Ride your bike in the house. Better yet, have another riding toy on stand-by (in the living room) in case you need a change of pace.
8. Inform mommy with a really loud announcement whenever the microwave beeps, phone rings or toaster pops. Repeat, if necessary.
9. Play in the water as often as possible. Find every toy that could possibly need to be washed and insist on doing so, preferably at 5-minute intervals so mommy has to repeatedly turn the water on for you.
10. Insist on wearing pink tights, a red dress, purple shirt and pink shoes on the wrong feet - on St. Patrick's Day.
11. Help mommy put on her shoes. Do not let her attempt to do this herself. Insist that she wear the black "comfy" ones, even if she thinks she would prefer a different pair.
12. Change your own shoes at least 5 or 6 times a day. Be sure to put them on the wrong feet at least half of the time.
13. Make sure that you always put a hood on right after mommy fixes your hair.
14. Always bring mommy a cup of (pretend) coffee or tea if she's at the computer. Don't forget to ask her if her hands are cold and tell her to blow on the coffee, "cuz it's hot!"
15. The most effective time to throw a tantrum is right after your baby sister goes to sleep. Right outside her door is a great place to do this.
16. Be sure you help mommy finish her Diet Coke. Start by asking for a drink and when she lets you have one, say "keep it?" Sometimes she actually says okay!
17. Keep an eye on mommy and daddy at dinner. If they start to look bored, insist that they feed you.
18. Make sure you put ketchup on everything - meat, eggs, potatoes, even rice, veggies and potato chips. Ranch dressing is an acceptable alternative.
19. As soon as you hear mommy get her vitamins for the day, holler "I need a via-min, mommy!"  Then insist on a purple one (red if they're all gone).
20. Look absolutely adorable all of the time and talk really cute to make it nearly impossible for mommy to get mad at you!