Almost Three

Dear Eli,

I will probably begin every birthday letter to you in this way - "I can't believe you're 3 (or fill in future number)!" It is amazing how fast you have grown from my precious little baby, to my delightful little boy. You keep me endlessly entertained with newfound vocabulary and innocent wit. I love to watch you when immersed in your parallel universe of pretend play - the dinosaurs, trains, and cars, oh my! Your mind is always on the go - if we hear an unexpected sound, you might say "Did you hear that? Maybe it was a Dinosaur!" The other day you climbed to the top of our boat playhouse and said "I'm tall! I'm a Brachiasaurus! I eat leaves!" You also told me that you have a baby Brachiasaurus in your tummy... that one still cracks me up! You really bring so much laughter and fun into our lives these days. You have been very excited about turning three, and when anyone asks you "what is your name" or "how are you" or "how old are you," your answer is the same to all questions - "I'm almost free! (three)." I'm having a hard time convincing you that now you ARE three!

You are an active, bright, and caring little boy. You definitely have an internal sense of order about things, and can really dig in your heels when things don't go accordingly (I think this is called being stubborn). You especially do not like to be told what to do, or be forced into anything (ie. when/how to get dressed; when/how to get in the car; when/what to eat etc) - this used to really frustrate me, but I can see it now as a positive trait - one that will help you navigate this world of pressures and negative influences without being swayed from what you know to be true. It has also helped me to learn to be more creative in my parenting approach, and more positive. The happier, more cheerful, playful, and kind my approach, the more likely I will get cooperation from you! So, I have you to thank for helping me to become a better person and mother!

You have become so much more active and independent this year, but I also appreciate your continued need and desire for closeness. Whenever we sit and read, you slip your little hands into mine. You love hugs and kisses, and getting cuddled to sleep at night (though you have completely switched to wanting Daddy ONLY for this). You also like to be wrapped occasionally, and it's not uncommon for me to end up in the rocking chair with both of you boys in my lap fighting for space. You and Owen have the typical sibling rivalry, but I can clearly see that you both love one another as well. Owen always wants to be where you are and do what you are doing. In fact, he kissed you for the first time on your birthday! You often tell me how much you "love the little baby" and you hug and kiss him frequently (you also take his toys and push him down just for fun, but you are still learning!). You help me cheer for Owen when he learns new things (ie. going down the stairs alone, or saying new words) and you always remind me to get Owen when we are heading to the car (as if I might forget!). You are learning to be helpful in ways such as fetching diapers, taking things to the garbage or hamper, or picking things up for me when I'm holding Owen. These are little things, but I really appreciate the help!

As always, this year has brought much change, though I have to say it was an unusually bus one. This year you finally agreed to feed yourself with a utensil (though you still ask me to help you now and then), you became interested in climbing and fell in love with the park, you willingly tasted ice cream for the first time and are now a fan, you weaned from breastfeeding at 2 1/2, and started potty training about a month ago. You got tubes put in both of your ears (also at 2 1/2) and except for the awful initial infection, things have been going well. You've really learned to sing, and you make up your own songs sometimes - you also have the ability to repeat memorized stories, and to make up your own stories. You visited Utah once and Arizona twice, as well as Washington D.C, New York City, Boston, Cape Cod, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. You also moved with us for the second time in 12 months from Massachusetts to Columbia, Missouri. That is a lot of activity and change for such a little guy (especially one who likes order) but you really hung in there! It has been nice to settle down as a family the past few months, and you have really enjoyed having a bigger house and a yard of your own to play in. You made your first best friend in Massachusetts, only to have him move away a few months later. You have blossomed socially and though are still a bit slow to warm in new situations, you are very receptive to the offered friendships of kind and respectful children (no pushy, aggressive friends for you!) and you LOVE to play with friends. You will often insist that I must leave you there when I tell you it is time to go home from a playgroup - this is a turnaround from the little boy who used to hug my legs and scream - even at library story time that we attended weekly for months.

Overall Eli, it has been a delightful year. We've had our ups and downs as we always will, but I'm so thankful to be your mom, and I Love you!

Love,
Mommy

The Carousel Ride

Gifts and Balloons

Dinosaur Train Cake!

Wrapping and Pizza Making

Your Celebration

We celebrated a few days early so that we could have the entire Saturday to enjoy it. We all went to the Columbia Mall and rode the Carousel - you even got a second ride for free! We had lunch at Chipotle (a RARE treat) where you had your favorite - a quesadilla. Then we came home and opened presents - though you opened your first one all by yourself while no one was looking! "Oh look, it's Thomas the Train!" we heard you say... you were so thrilled by your find that it was difficult to get you to focus on opening the rest. Thomas was from Mom and Dad, as well as a book called Dinotrain, and Thomas-aurus Rex. and you got a train track set from Grandma and Grandpa K. You also got a "Potty Monkey" with his own toilet, and a sticker chart from Aunt Aubrey (which is working great by the way!). Grandma and Grandpa and Great Grandma K also sent you money that we are setting aside for Christmas. Your cake by request was a Dinosaur Train! I had to really think about that one - luckily I found directions online for a train cake and added the Dinos myself. Your favorite TV show is a PBS cartoon called Dinosaur Train... I will never forget the look on your face when you saw the cake - you'd been talking about it for weeks and the pure excitement at seeing it made the 3+ hours it took to make it worth it! Grandma and Grandpa K and B called to sing you happy birthday. But, we ended up eating cake "scraps" (cut pieces from cake construction) and saving the actual train cake for your bday. You were so wound up from all of the excitement that you didn't go to bed until 11pm! You were half asleep sitting on the floor, driving trains off the track as your head bobbed, but you still threw a fit when we took you to bed! It was a wonderful day!

The next day (Sunday) you had a terrific time in Nursery, and we got to have home made pizza for dinner! You were thrilled to get to be wrapped on my back while I cooked. We skipped cake yet again because we went to a friend's house for dessert... when we got there you saw the toys and said "oh the beautiful toys!" and had the time of your life!

A week before your birthday I pulled out the home video from when I was pregnant with you and you were first born - you were mesmerized and completely tickled by it. You talked on and on about being in my tummy, about "oh baby E-I so cute! I love baby E-I." And seeing all of us and your grandparents fussing over you really just made your day. On your actual birth day, we had a low key but nice day at home full of playing with your new train. That night your Nursery Teacher Sister Rachael came by with a gift for you, and she joined us for another round of candles and the official cake eating. You'd think we would know by now not to give two little boys chocolate cake before bedtime.... Then we had family home evening and talked about the baby Jesus, the gifts the wisemen brought, and we put our treasure box under the tree to collect gifts for Him. It was another wonderful day, and we let you stay up far too late again!

Your Favorites at Three

Toys: Trains, Dinosaurs

Food: Your food tastes have not expanded much since last year. You do now eat ONE vegetable - carrots! Sometimes I can sneak mashed bean into your quesadillas, and you eat yogurt. Food you LIKE is toast with cream cheese, cheese, yogurt, bread products, apple dipped in Nutella, pizza, and chocolate chips!

TV: Dinosaur Train, Superwhy! Caillou (all PBS)

DVDs: Elmo Potty Time, Signing Time, Cars

Books: You LOVE books and your favorites change often. Current favorites include Dionsaurumpus, How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight/Eat their Food?, Stellaluna, Dinosaur Roar, Dino Train, Dino Pets, and of course, The Little Engine that Could.

Play: Slides, Running, Climbing the playhouse, Trains, Dinosaurs, Knocking Owen Down, Being with Friends, Holding your baby in a Sling

Places: Nursery, Library Story Time, Playgroups

Best Friends: I wouldn't say you have a "best" right now, but some kids you really like to see are Lexi and Tanner, Andrew and Ally, and Oliver

Most used Words/Phrases: No I NOT!, It's kinda too hard , Oh no! What's happened to me?, Just be friends!, Be nice mommy! You're a nice Mommy!, No Owen!

Songs: Away in a Manger, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Stats: 32+ pounds (I need to measure your height), size 4T shirts and 3T months pants (you are tall and skinny) and size 9-10 shoes.