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