Three Years Old.

Warning: proud mama writing here. Little bit of bias going on.

My baby is three. No longer really a baby I guess, although he will always be my baby. He is loved by all in this family. Everyone wants to sit by him, play with him talk to him. The big kids never appear jealous of him. They try their hardest to not laugh at him when he says silly things or things he shouldn't. They are so excited he is going to school and they want to hear all about his day as soon they see him. They feel sad when he is sick. They spend time with him. Play games he likes. Read to him. Ride bikes with him. Watch Barney with him. Try to make him happy when he is sad. It is really fun to see them care so much about him.

Coleman in turn loves them right back. When the big kids started school, he said to me, "I sad. I miss my buddies. They gone." When one of them is sad, he will look to me and say " why they sad? he my buddy."

He seems so grown up to me. I think it is because he talks so much better than any of my other kids did at this age. He talks in sentences and is easy to understand. His vocabulary is large and he grasps so many concepts already just by watching the big kids. He knows the ABS's, counts easily to 10, 20 with just a little help. He dresses himself, including socks & shoes. Buckles himself in his car seat. Memorizes books and songs like crazy. Knows how to pray and always wants it to be his turn. Already has a sense of humor. Seriously he already knows how to make us laugh. He will say things and use words like weird or crazy and you know he is listening to every word you say! He has the funniest facial expressions and gestures. I seriously could bear hug this kid constantly. And he is nice. On occasion he gets annoyed with the big kids and he will scream at them. Really scream. There are also times when he is not good at the sharing thing. But all in all, he is just a good little boy. I've never seen him be unkind to a friend. He may not mind all the time at home, but when he is with others he knows what he should do and the report I get is he does it.

His current favorites: (hyperlinked just in case you were curious)

airplanes, helicopters, and Hess Trucks

playing computer: Tonka Search and Rescue and Dora's Animal Adventure ( old games from his siblings that he LOVES)
books: There's a Nightmare in my Closet, various Dora books, A Mother for Choco
playing anything pretend with his sister usually per/owner, parent/baby, or school.


No words can adequately portray my feelings about him. I am sure I felt this way about my other kids, I just don't remember it as clearly. And unfortunately I wasn't good at writing in my journal. I also thinks it helps that he is the baby. There are no other babies taking my attention away from him. So I have time to notice and soak up every little thing I love about him. And there is a lot to love.

I thought I would be sad at the sight of him growing up. I thought I would never get over my longing to have newborns. I did not dream about having big kids like I dreamed about having babies. Caring for babies was cake for me. It was natural. I knew it was what I was destined to do. I will admit that I don't think I am as good at the big kid thing, but I am trying and along the way I am learning that there is a lot of fun to be had with my big kids. Coleman getting older means we can join in on some of the big kid fun. No one in diapers. No one has to be home for a nap. Attention spans are lengthening. Good times are awaiting me.