When I was three
My daddy taught me
How to sit under the orange tree in spring
To catch the smell of the blossoms
While I played under the tree
With my tea cup, Baby Mary and me

When I was three
My daddy would read to me
In the evening after supper
We would share a hot cup of tea
And be cozy with the crazy quilt
That mama made to keep us warm 

When I was three
My daddy would take me shopping
And put me in the cart
He always kissed me
And whispered, as he nibbled my ear
“Aren’t you my big little girl?”

When I was three
My daddy made me blocks
Of all different shapes and sizes
I would make little houses
And bunk beds for my dollies
And he would make Gothic cathedrals like Notre Dame

When I was three
My daddy danced with me
“We only play the classics,” he said
And we would dance so very fast
To the Beatles and rock ‘n roll
And twirled so fast it made me dizzy

When I was three
My daddy went to work and kissed me goodbye
I would wave and say to him
“Drive very carefully”
And he said, “Honey, I will”
And he took his lunch, kissed mom and was gone

When I was three
My daddy would take me on his bike
Sometimes we would go very fast
And he would say, “Hold on” 
Sometimes we went slow and looked for cats
Or pinecones, or showed me flowers as we passed

When I was three

My daddy taught me to pray
To bow my head and close my eyes
To thank Jesus for everything
To pray for, mama, grandpa and grandma, 
And he prayed, especially for me

When I was three…