36 months!

Dear Aiden,

You spent most of this month with some sort of frosting or melty bits of candy smeared across your mouth.  Sometimes the napkin would just stick to it, so you learned to ask for "a wet one, please."  It's a good month when you need wet napkins to wipe all the gooey goodness off your face, eh?  We celebrated and celebrated some more.  Cupcakes and candies were devoured.  The best news: the holiday season is just beginning.

You have enjoyed all the big events lately especially at your school.  You are having a special birthday treat at your school today and I think it will cap off a few weeks of excitement.  On grandfriend's day you had fun showing off your works to Gran and Pop, but the following Monday you were thrilled to have your Gran and Pop give a little lesson on their South America trip.  When I picked you up you immediately told me that "MY Gran Gran and Pop Pop told me all about the turtles and the equator!  Then they went home and I want to go see them now."

You've taken to saying "I noticed something..." which I can tell is something that you've picked up from school.  You talked about noticing that the robot fireman who visited your school wore a big hat.  You told me a story about your classmate Milo "making bad choices" - The story went something like this: "All of a sudden I noticed Milo was on me!" Me: "What was on you?" You: "Milo!" Me: "Did he hurt you?"  You: "No, he was ON me!"  Me: ?!? "Did Mrs. Healey help you and tell Milo to get off you?"  You: "Yes, he was making bad choices and had to sit by Mrs. Healey."  

One of the sweetest moments lately, that went straight to my heart, was when you hugged the sonogram photo of your brand new brother or sister.  You watched so intently and cuddled close to your dad (probably because you were sleepy) as the little black and white blob bounced around on the screen with lines being drawn in every direction.  No one in the room said much of anything, but you seemed to get it.  When the tech congratulated you and handed that photo to you, your eyes closed and you hugged that little photo close.  We talked about baby names, you wanted to name your sister or brother after your favorite friends from school or cartoon characters.

I still day dream about the days when all you wanted to eat were spinach pancakes.  Now you have moved on to much more unhealthy treats.  You told me the other day that you think "meatballs are a type of munchkin!"  You insisted on cheese curls for your party, but at least you picked the baked ones.  I talked you out of the white powdered donuts and what you were describing as "awesomely delicious gummy bears" even though I don't think you'd ever really had any.  I did get you some with your friendly's sundae later that week and you did like them.  As for real food, you would eat only mini wheats and square cheese if I let you.  You love your white milk and understand that flavored milk is a dessert.  You spotted some chocolate milk at the store the other day and were practically begging for it: "I know what I can do to earn the chocolate milk special treat - I can do a dance!"

We went out to dinner the night before my parents left town (which is always a downer for you) and the waitress walked up to our table and asked what we were celebrating.  We mumbled nothing special, but then you chimed it - "It's my actual birthday soon too!"  So the waitress brought you a special birthday sign for the table.  You were excited about that, but even more excited when she arrived at our table with a huge brownie sundae and a big group of singing people.  You grooved and bounced in your seat to the happy birthday song just for you.  The waitress said, "How cute, he's not shy is he?!"

You were dog prince of all for the week your grandparents were here.   The robot king and cat princess love playing pretend with you.  The cat even occasionally goes to use the "kitty litter."  The usual names were expanded a bit this time around.  You would ask if we can go home to the doghouse to see the cat and robot as we walked out of school.  You played with a whole schlew of trains.  You agreed to take a nap one afternoon just to earn a special setup built by gran and pop with a bridge.  You had your first visit to the Ikea Smalland (where you repeated the rules, hopped right through the door, and bounced over to the bathroom forgetting to shut the door).  You just loved it in there, but I missed you a bit when we were wandering through the rest of the store - I kept looking for you!

Earlier in the month we hit the beach, and you were pretty excited to walk in the cool sand and check out the jelly fish.  You cheered, "It's time to wear your toes on the beach!"  Sometimes you say the funniest little phrases, like "Hey, look PopPop I can stand on two feet!"  While troll hunting in the corn maze and chasing daddy as the monster you said, "Where are you, my breakfast!?"

You insisted on wearing your sunglasses at night like a rockstar the other day.  You strolled around with a bounce in your step lookin right at the girls on the street giggling at you.  You have new jammies with records and record players/tapes all over it, which you insist are some sort of amplifier.  You insist on riding your bike to the end of the street to count cars and wait for daddy.  You ask over and over, "What number car do you think daddy will be driving?!"  Luckily, he's usually less than the tenth car or so.

You got a bunch of new toys and books for your birthday.  Thanks are due all around! Your new Alphie robot friend is a favorite and you love to sit with him and complete card after card.  Gran and Pop got you a light show amplifier with microphone.  You eat the microphone while singing into it with the echo on which makes the hello song sound a little heavy ;)  You love this light up disco top which is especially cool in a dark room that your Arizona grandparents sent.  You're still getting into all your new toys - you are one lucky duck!

The running hug tradition continues, but a new favorite is teasing before you give a hug - "no hugs for you mommy..."  Then you run up with the kidding giggle.  Then you love your bedtime stories with daddy, and we miss him when he goes out of town for quick trips.  You and I get to spend so much more time together and you are noticeable more cuddly.  My heart melts when you spontaneously tell me that you love me.

The day before you turned three we visited your classroom for a scheduled observation.  You were giving us a good chance to see the real deal by following directions and pretending we weren't really there (minus the occassional proud smile you'd throw over your shoulder).  You went through 9 different works in the short time that we were there, so you gave us a good overview of your favorites.  You would pick out your work, take it to your work station, arrange it, complete it, put it back, and go back to push in your chair.   My favorite was when you picked out the huge continents map and sang along as you removed and replaced the pieces.

As we take down the spider web full of pipe cleaner spiders and characters and get ready for the next holiday around the corner, I want to freeze this month and pull it back out and thaw it whenever I'd like. You were dancing around as you "helped" set up for your party and you sang "today is my birthday - let's paaarty!" It was a treat moment I'd like to replay.  Two years old was a goody bag of these treats.  I think three will be a big year for you, big brother!   Get ready for some more treats.

Love, Mommy