Dear Baby,
Look how grown up you look! You are definitely not a baby anymore, but we haven't really found a nickname for you so you will just have to stay my Baby.
We celebrated your birthday a few different times. One day a week before your birthday you opened presents at Grammie's house so she could watch. She gave you trains and a train book. You were in heaven. Trains are your thing!
Then you opened a present from Dad before he left on his work trip and got a pillow pet. You don't sleep on it but you are happy to have your own big pillow so you can play along with the big kids when they use theirs.
Then on your birthday day we met Grandma and went to a museum and to Ikea and then back to Grandma's house for cupcakes and presents. You loved the Angry Birds movie from her. We have already watched it 3 times.
Then Dad came home and you opened a few more gifts from us! And, to top it all off, you had a few more things from Great Grandma that you opened just today!
You have matured so much in the past few months. You are going on the potty like a champ! You talk all the time, telling me jokes and stories. I understand most of what you say too, although sometimes when you get really animated I miss a few words. You are also Mr Independent. When we go to the grocery store you insist on pushing the cart yourself. You get angry if I try to help steer a little. You want to do everything yourself and to help out with big boy chores like dishes and bathrooms. When TJ brings beginner books home to read you like to have your turn "reading" the books too.
You miss the kids while they are at school, especially TJ. When he came home on Friday you immediately said "Hi! Do you want to play hide and seek?" That is one of your favorite games to play with him and you are so funny. You usually yell out "I'm right here, TJ, I'm hiding here," making it a pretty easy game.
You love to watch shows. You go through phases where you request to watch one certain show on Kindle, and right now it is The Wonder Pets. You love watching anything the kids have on downstairs too.
At 3 you still don't eat fruits or veggies! It's making me a little crazy honestly. I have tried bribery with no success, and forcing the food into your clenched jaw with even less success. I know that you like the flavor since you will eat any flavor of baby food or fruit leather and drink any smoothie. You just refuse to try the real produce! You eat crunchy chips all the time so I don't know what the deal is with the fruits. I hope some day you will change your mind if I offer it daily but don't make it a big deal. You love nuggets, milk, woodles (noodles), peanuts, apple sauce, and hot dogs. You eat most meats and grains we serve but seem to not like mashed potatoes!
You love to get out and go places. You love being my companion to the library or the kids' school and even to church. You also love the zoo and told Uncle Jordan today that your favorite animals are the gorillas and the polar bear!
Besides trains you also love cars, books, and Pluto. He even made it in to your birthday photo shoot:
You know what you want and you stand up for it, just like your big brother Hammer. Even though that makes it hard on me sometimes, I know that it can become a great strength so I am learning how to give you choices so you feel in control and to choose my battles as long as you are safe. You are a feisty little guy sometimes, but also such a sweetheart. You love to sit in my lap and to give me
kisses. You don't even mind when I kiss you all day long! Most nights
you want me to lay at the foot of your bed as you fall asleep. I started
it when you first moved into the bottom bunk just so I could keep you
from jumping out and running away. Now you do pretty well staying in the
bed but you like me to bring you a snack and to keep you company.
Sometimes you still reach for my hair and play with it as your eyes
start closing. I love that. I can't imagine life without you.
I sure love you my Baby,
Mom
