Three Years Old

It would suffice to say that I wouldn't win the sentimental mother of the year award. I don't cry at the mother-child movies, I love the pictures and videos of my kids but have saved none (you heard right, none) of Jonathan's drawings up to this point, and I had no sad feelings about Jonathan going to preschool one day a week this year.

There are days when I do feel nostalgic about my little man as a littler man. The time from 18 months to two and half is so precious because they say the silliest things as they learn to talk. Those silly things are becoming few and far between and are being replaced by funny observations about things and an awareness of more and more intricate things around him. Part of the nostalgia for me is also related to the fact that he is now closer to five than he is to birth. Before I'm ready he'll be heading off to school and spending more than a random two hours of time with someone else who is not me.

Part of really loving is letting go. My mother was amazing at it. She loved us but always let us go to spread our wings. My hope is to be even half as good as she was at letting my boys spread their independent wings and fly.

At three, Jonathan is...

~ All about doing things himself. Dressing himself, going to the bathroom by himself, taking a shower by himself...

~ Shy and a non-stop talker all in one little boy. Shy if he doesn't know you. A non-stop talker if you happen to catch him on a conversational day (or live with him).

~ Loving anything with wheels. Still. Probably forever.

~ Great at riding his "big boy bike" and loves to ride at the trail with Julianne and Erica (two best buddies).

~ A finicky eater but can be motivated by chips or serious hunger. We seldom do snacks around here. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Snacks mean he eats NOTHING at his meals. NOTHING. If he's hungry he'll eat meat, broccoli, peas, asparagus... pretty much anything without "sauce". If he's not hungry, forget it.

~ Always wearing his flip-flops if given the choice.

~ An outdoorsman. Wouldn't have it any other way.

~ An observer. Always has been and likely always will be.

Happy birthday to the little big man! I wouldn't have missed the last 3 years for anything.