After initializing the counter, use a mapping activity to increment the counter.
After this, use an exclusive choice to check if the value has reached 3. The branches coming out of the exclusive choice: there will be 2 possibilities. either the counter has reached 3 or it has not. if the counter has not reached 3, then connect the branch out of the exclusive choice back to the incrementing step.
if the value has reaached 3, then give the normal flow. Will look something like this:
The condition evaluation of the exclusive choice will be like this:
I really hope i am making some sense. 
/Sid