Colin,

You are three years old, baby boy.  I know I still call you a ‘baby’, but you’ve grown up so much this year.  I looked back at the letter I wrote for your second birthday and can hardly recognize that pudgy faced little guy who hadn’t yet started talking.  Now, you’re constantly chattering away… to me… to strangers… to yourself.  There’s never a quiet moment.

You have the sweetest little vocabulary.  When we go outside on a windy day you say ‘oh, it’s quite windy out here!‘  Your Grandma Josie told you it was time to go to bed, but wasn’t sure what to say after you replied ‘no thank you, Josie!‘  My favorite statement right now is ‘I wuv you too, Mom’ when you give hugs.

Your language is pretty clear, but there are still a handful of expressions or words that stump us.  [It took me almost three weeks to realize something was ’empty’ when you told me ‘it’s mick-tee’].  And my favorite is when I catch you playing trains and re-playing conversations from a Thomas movie between your engines.  “Sorry, boss.  Just a slip of the hook!”  It made me laugh out loud when you told me you were going to ‘puff’ down the stairs this morning.

Oh, trains.  Currently your entire word revolves around them.  Thomas bedtime stories.  Thomas bath time toys.  Your head even lays down on a Thomas pillow at night.  You treasure the train tracks that have been handed down from when Daddy was your age and love setting them up on your new train table (our birthday gift to you).  You know every Thomas character by name… your favorites are Thomas, Percy & James.

We went through lots of changes this year, but the biggest may have been starting preschool this fall!  You’re one of the younger kids in class so you’re learning a lot from the older ones.  I hope that soon their influence will be the push you need to start using the big boy potty.  We have tackled so many milestones this year, slowly shedding your ‘baby’ ways… giving up the pacifier… beginning to talk… moving to the big boy bed… starting preschool… potty training feels like the last ‘step’ to being a big boy.  Hopefully by the time you decide you’re ready to wear the big boy underpants (Thomas, of course), I’ll be ready too!

Somehow, even during all the growing up you’ve done this year, you haven’t lost your love of snuggles.  They seem to fix everything when you’re hurt or upset or overwhelmed.  I love that you’re still my sweet, sensitive little guy and I can’t wait to watch you grow even more this year!

Happy third birthday, baby boy!

Love, Momma