This is what a ginormous 3 year old looks like:

This is the first birthday I’d say he “gets it” that it’s his special day.  He went to school (his 3rd day) and they sang and gave him a birthday bag to take home.  He was proud of the cookies he brought to share.  Then he went on a man-adventure with daddy that involved chasing after a runaway kite, eating lots of sugary stuff and bouncing.  We topped it all off with dinner and cake and presents with family.  We all got a kick out of him sincerely trying to blow his candles out with a spray of spittle air.

Other fun tidbits about this boy-child:

• He is dramatic! – always has opinions/is stubborn, always wants something (coins, certain videos), “loves” songs and foods and declares things as “awesome.”
• He is obsessed with coins and other “treasure” – jingles when he walks because there’s “pennies” in his pockets.
• Changes clothes multiple times a day, can’t stand being wet.
• Loves everything active – swimming, baseball, chase, making messes, dancing
• He’s a cooking helper – can probably make smoothies by himself, can assemble his own sandwich
• Little Engineer – loves to build blocks, Legos, using tools, puzzles
• He’s got some serious verbal abilities and auditory memory – can memorize poems, says the pledge of allegiance, repeats things I say, counts in German.
• Plays pretend with “guys” (little figurines)
• He recently drew his first recognizable “people” picture.
• Knows his letters and numbers, colors (primary colors song!), days of the week, birthday
• Asked me to please marry him.
• Got brave all of a sudden – no longer scared of the roller coaster or the bathroom hand drier.
• Thinks his fire truck pj’s made him grow bigger.
• Very touchy, always climbing on my lap or all over me like a monkey, likes his cuddles, and is a very sweet kisser.
• Wants to know stranger’s names, quick to tell people “you can come, too.”
• Loves being read to (Berenstain Bears, Clifford, Little Critters, Winnie the Pooh)
• Clears plate to sink, sometimes picks up toys, sometimes helps set the table.
• Takes bites out of fruit from the fruit basket, helps himself to garden harvests and will eat everything (including raw lima beans just out of their shell).
• He loves his sister like crazy.
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Happy Birthday, little dude.  You sure bring a lot of excitement to our lives!