To Noah on Your Third Birthday...well, a little late.

Dear Noah,

You turned three on Saturday. You are a brilliant little child, who still sucks on a binkie.  Jack explained to you that if don't kick the habit, you will get an overbite and that mean kids will make fun of you for this once you are in school, because they are mean and don't care about being nice--this was told to him by Aunt Marielle when he was about your age and reluctant to give it up.  It is time, again, for you to really let it go.  It is also time for potty training, but in the midst of your birthday celebrations I decided to wait a few weeks before telling you these new expectations I have of my three year old boy.

We went to the doctor and I was surprised to learn that you are in the 50th percentile for height and weight.  You seem smaller than that to me.  You eat like a bird, not picky, just not much of an appetite.  Jack and Taylor tower over you a bit, but you are not intimidated.  You stand up for yourself and I appreciate that you are learning to negotiate or at least coherently express your frustrations over any unjust treatment you perceive. You used to just scream.  But even then, although I didn't love the noise, I liked that you stood up for your little self.  Now I often hear conversations like:

Jack: (wanting the car that Noah has.) Noah, do you want this scooter?  It's your favorite color.
Noah: But Jack, I want to ride on this car because it's my favorite one. 
Jack: But this scooter is the best one because it can go faster.
Noah: But Jack, I just don't want that one.  You can use it, okay?

You are also a very good peacemaker though, and you are happy to compromise most of the time...you just don't let the bigger boys walk all over you.  You are happy to play along.  Yesterday while we were playing outside, you were designated as the pet reindeer.  Jack put a makeshift leash on you and tied it to a tree (to a puny, low-hanging little twig, really) and you stood obediently as he made a circle of balls around your feet.  He called me over to pet his reindeer, warning me not to cross or touch the circle of balls or there would be a trap that would make me bonk my head.  While he listed off all of your great attributes (you were very gentle, and soft, and you never tackled humans) you took my hand and licked it gingerly, smiling and making happy "reindeer sounds."  You were a fantastic reindeer. 

You love french fries and root beer above all else I think.  You love the color yellow.  Whenever we see a yellow car, it just makes your day.  You exclaim "I taw a yewoh tar!  Yewoh is my favwite tahwer!" Same with yellow flowers, yellow clothes, yellow anything.  I hear that yellow is your favorite color at least once a day.  You have a large vocabulary, and I can always understand you, but you do say things in your own way.  When we were at grandma's house I killed a bee that you were worried about.  You looked at me and said "you did it mom, you daved da day."  I loved it=)

You are a fantastic older brother to Austy.  You love watching Little Einsteins together and you like to wrestle with eachother.  You are never too rough with him, quite the contrary.  You let him tackle you til his heart's content, and you just laugh and laugh.  You love to laugh and rarely have cranky days, even cranky moments are rare.  I don't make you take a nap anymore, but sometimes you get tired during the day.  Rather than fighting it and being cranky, you just come to me and tell me you want to go to bed, and you usually do go right to sleep, then wake up happy.  

You are my boy and although you hate to see me leave ever, you are learning to stay cheerful rather than cry about it.  You still love to cuddle with me.  Often you'll climb in with me in the early hours of the morning and fall back to sleep right beside me.  When you look at me, nothing but pure love comes from those eyes.  May it always be so. 

You are smart and very charming, everyone loves you.  You make it easy.  I love you and feel so lucky to be your mama.  So blessed.

Love,
mom