3 1/2 Year Letter

Dear Gabriel,

Oh my son. You are smack in the middle of 3 years old and every day is a testament to it. You are hilarious and interesting and frustrating. Three. Years. Old.

You really are so fun to be with sometimes. You are smart and clever, and you say some of the funniest things. You make some of the funniest facial expressions that a person just does not expect from a preschooler. Lately, when you don't want to get ready to go to school, you tell me your back doesn't feel good. You picked that up from me this summer when I was doing physical therapy for my back. Way to adapt it to your own needs!

You love to play. You love to figure things out. You've always been a thinker. We still see you analyze and dissect the world as you figure out how to interact with it.

You're pretty convinced that you can do just about anything you want. Reach something that's 6 feet in the air when the tallest stool you have is only about 14 inches off the ground? Sure...just stand on your tippy-toes. Wait...that didn't work? Let me try stacking this other stool on top! Good thing we're still around to catch you when you're about to fall.

You've learned to use the Keurig so you can make "coffee" in the morning. You've learned to get into the refrigerator doors to get snacks. You've learned to buckle yourself in your carseat! That one is actually really good for mama. Makes getting in the car and getting going so much easier.

Though lately you make sure that I don't buckle myself until you're done...everything lately is about you being the winner or the leader. Sometimes it's annoying. Sometimes we use it to our advantage. When it's bedtime, we just threaten that mom or dad is going to be the first one up the stairs and you're sure to move quickly to your bedroom.

When you get there, you climb onto your bed, throw the blanket over you and tell me to find you. We need to work a little on the idea of hiding. You've not quite put it together that just because something is obscuring our view of you is not quite the same as "hiding" in a way that would make it hard to "find" you. We'll keep working on that.

We'll have to keep working on using your listening ears, too. You're at a stage when you would much rather do what you want to do at any given moment. You get a lot of reminders that you have an instruction and you need to listen and follow directions. It's a whole other level of parenting challenge now.

But I wouldn't trade it for anything. All those tough moments make the sweet moments sweeter.

My sweet, sweet boy, you are loved beyond measure. Love, mama

What a Wonderful World

There are so many moments when I really wish I had a camera crew following me around all the time. Like for all of Gabriel's "firsts" or when Justin slid across the floor in his socks and almost fell on his face. Hee hee. Or today in the car with Gabriel.

When I picked him up from school today, I helped him get into the car, and when I came around to get in the driver's seat, he was singing "What a Wonderful World."

I see trees of breeve
Red roses too
I see them blue
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world....


He kept going (with his own lyrics), and I thought he might like to listen to it in the car, so I downloaded from iTunes and hooked it up to the MP3 player. He listened for a few moments, and then told me that it was a different version of the song than the one they listen to at school. The one at school has a girl singing. And by the way, why is he singing like that?

And then he tried to sing like Louis Armstrong. Oh. Em. Gee. Where was my camera crew?!!!!!! That was one of the funniest things ever. :)

I'm sure you'll agree that they look alike and therefore must sound alike:

For your listening pleasure:

Christmas List 2014

For family-type people who might be thinking soon about Christmas gifts...
Here are things Gabriel has specifically asked for (*) and other ideas I have for him.
Most of these are simply examples of what I think he would like...not specific items I expect someone to buy.

**Updated 12/01/14: strikethrough on items that I know have been purchased for him; additional items listed**

A real guitar (*)
Something like this: Acoustic Guitar

A camera (*)
Nothing expensive, for instance: Digital Camera

A watch (*)
Something with a character on it, such as Mickey Mouse, a Paw Patrol character, or Lightning McQueen from Cars

An umbrella (*)
One made for kids with a character on it, such as Mickey Mouse, a Paw Patrol character, or Lightning McQueen from Cars

Building toys
Magformers
Lite-Brite
Stacker Pegs Set
Legos

Puzzles
USA
Continents
Pattern Blocks

Writing/Art
Magnatab board (not necessarily the lower case letters one)
Paint with Water books

Toys
Take-A-Part Airplane
Magnetic Dress Up Doll
Swtich N Go Dinos (he has Horns the Triceratops (blue) and Silver the T-Rex (green))
Paw Patrol figures with car:  Rubble, Rocky, Zuma, Ryder, Skye (he has Marshall and Chase)

Games
My Little Pony
Shelby's Snack Shack
Dino Meal
The Ladybug Game
Go Fish
Hiss

Outdoor
Ring Toss
Balance Board
Kick Croquet
Disc Golf goal