Three!

Recently Adam managed to control his little hand to hold two fingers up to show he was 2. He was so proud! He'd say, "I'm doing it!"

I'd like to think this is a huge milestone. I mean, just getting his hands to do a "thumb's up" was a big deal.

And now, with a little struggle and time, he can hold up 3 fingers because...

Adam is Three!

Yes, my loving, adorable, song-singing, imaginative, melt-your-heart, smiling boy is another year older. And I have so much joy.

Let me tell you my favorite things he does and says these days...

• I never tire of him singing his songs. His song catalog is impressive. He loves when I sing him the "Adam Robert" song (to the tune of Frere Jacques), singing about what Adam does and loves (fortunately he doesn't mind the lack of rhyme). Here's his recent favorite song:

• His observation skills continue to amaze us. "Look at all the bricks!" (to the brick-facade building) or, "Look at all the octagons!" (to the honeycomb wall pattern)
• He is always learning and wanting to learn. His recent obsession is the clock in his room. What time is it now? What does the clock say? This is great for teaching him to recognize double-digit numbers as well as telling (digital) time.
• Knows all his letters and letter sounds and we've begun having him sound out words to spell. He can spell Adam, Cat and Toy like a champ. In the car he'll see a sign and ask, "What's that say?" And, unsure of what sign he sees, we'll have him spell it for us.
• He has such an imagination. Pieces of popcorn will look like giraffes to him. He is always making associations (ex. Brush my teeth... just like Daniel the Tiger brushes his teeth.)
• He likes a plan. First... we'll do (A), and then... we'll do (B).
• I never tire of watching him talk to Sam or give him toys or tell me Sam needs something. On one occasion I found him in the crib with Sam. Or he'll say, "He's smiling at me!" Last night he sat beside him and said, "I Love You, Sam."
• He can be very literal. "I'm not 'Pumpkin', I'm Adam!"
• He's crazy about traffic lights. Red light! Green light! Yellow light (which means to slow down so you don't crash into other cars). He's a backseat driver like his Mommy (go that way) and knows where we are and what stores/school/houses are in which direction. A couple of weeks ago we passed a Menard's near Dayton and he said, "There's Menard's! But it's not our Menard's...."
• He loves cars and trucks and trains and garbage trucks and big trucks and tanker trucks and "cars on the truck". He lines them all up in his room in a long train or side by side like a parking lot (like at the "Red Store" (aka Target)). And of course the cars talk to each other, too. I love watching him play.
• His memory is incredible. This morning I put on his new socks and he said they were "just like Ryan's" (memory + association). Ryan was here in November! He can also read several books by memory, like Brown Bear and The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
• He picks up things he hears, like Daddy's, "Are you kidding me?" or Lightening McQueen's, "That's what I'm talking about."
• He knows the Pledge of Allegiance. (He's known it for at least 6 months... I'm just getting around to bragging about it.)
• He loves books and loves us to "talk the book" to him. He loves "I Spy" books lately, and loves listening to Gramma's recorded book. At the end when Gramma says, "I love you, Adam" he says, "I love you Gramma! I was talking to Gramma!" Every time.
• Loves "lemalade" and "rice ice cream treats" (rice krispy treats) and popcorn and croutons
• He successfully gave up the pacifier at Christmas (gave it to Santa) and we are now working on the potty training. We have a fairly equal ratio of successes to accidents.

We had his 3-year old checkup. Stats:

Height:  36.5" (15-20th percentile)
Weight: 28 lbs (25th percentile)

Great health
20/20 vision





Buddy, I have too much love for you than my little heart can even hold. I wish I could just bottle you up as you are now and keep you this way. I'm blinking and you're growing and learning way too fast, but, boy, is it a fun ride! You're such a Momma's boy, and I'll admit, I probably made you that way (and I'm not ashamed!) And I hope you always are.  Happy Birthday, my favorite 3-year old!!